Akuma no Buntai: Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki
by 7th Creature
Summary: Treated like trash as kids, three ninja will rise up to become the most merciless, dark legends in all of the Five Great Countries. Leading their team is one of the most feared Shinobi of all Hi no Kuni.
1. Nuisance

_(A/N: This is the re-written version of Shiroi Ryu, Akuma no Buntai: Kitsune, Ryuu, Tanuki. Main characters for now will be Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Itachi. The key to this story will be the following:_

"Normal Speech."  
><em>'Thoughts,'<br>_**"Bijuu/ Summon Speech."  
><strong>_**'Bijuu/ Summon Thought,'  
>Glossary<br>**_**Jutsu**_**  
><strong>__Break…. / Emphasis on words  
>-Flashback End Flashback-  
>(Author's Note)<em>

_This is rated M for Mature because it will contain excessive swearing and/or cursing, gore and sexual scenes. It will be a dark story so it's not recommended for kids under 18 years of age. Of course, if you can take it, you're always welcome. However, don't say I didn't warn you. The characters, settings and jutsu are property of Masashi Kishimoto. The only thing I have ownership over is the plot. With the disclaimer out of the way, enjoy.)_

_Ryuu…._

Green eyes stared at the ceiling blankly, light pink hair slightly falling on them. A small pale hand brushed the strands of hair away from the round face, tucking them behind equally pale ears. Another hand went over to an exposed shoulder, tracing the dragon-like birthmark. Slowly, the eyes closed and the breathing became soft. When the eyes opened again, the only light in the room was that of the moon coming in from the window. The little girl rose, looking around in the darkness of her room, her short pink hair falling in front of her face. Looking at the window, she stood up, walking over to it. She opened it, looking down at the ground, two stories below. She closed it then walked to her door. She went out into the hallway and passed by her parents' room before descending down the stairs and walking to the front door. She unlocked it then opened it, locking it behind herself.

She looked around the clan residence, seeing everyone asleep. She walked out of the residence with her head down. It started to drizzle then the rain began pouring down on her. She still had her head down. Memories of her father's cruel words assaulted her, finally bringing tears to her eyes. Tears ran down her cheeks, mixing with the rain soaking her. Her hair began sticking to her face and clothes started sticking to her skin, soaking her even more. Her dull green eyes never left the ground as the rain started pounding down on her head. Her feet took her to the local park, where she finally fell to her knees. Her forehead met the ground as she sobbed her heart out in the lonely and wet streets of _**Konohagakure no Sato. **_

The rain soon started to let out along with her tears. She kept sobbing but her eyes went dry. A sound reached her ears but she ignored it. She focused on the tight knot her heart was in instead. It clenched tighter with every breath she took, as if punishing her for living. Her stomach heaved with every painful breath she took. Her head pounded as her brain repeated her father's words. Her hands shook in rage when she remembered her older sister's smirk. Her heart cried when she replayed her mother just standing there with her head down, her bangs covering her face. She hadn't said a thing to stop her father's assault. She hadn't stopped him when he called her names she didn't know the meaning of but knew were bad. No one had done a thing to defend her. Her eyes started watering when she remembered how her clan treated her.

Tears started running down her cheeks again as she drowned out the sound of footsteps heading her way. All she could focus on was the pity stares some women in her clan sent her way. The disgusted glares the men gave her. The way her father always thought of her older sister as the best. The way her mother was always there but at the same time wasn't. The way her sister always pushed her around and bullied her, the way her friends would follow her example, the way _she_ didn't have friends, the way she hated her life. The way she was miserable.

She felt the air by her move and raised her head off the muddy ground to look at who it was. It was a boy her age. His blonde hair fell over his forehead because of the previous rain. His eyes were a dark color but she couldn't describe it because of the little light the moon offered. He had three lines running horizontally on both of his cheeks. His nose was a little red as were his eyes. His clothes were ripped and he had some bruises along his arms. Other than that, he looked like any other boy her age she's seen. He was crouched down to her level and looked concerned. She quickly wiped away her tears and the mud off her face but he stopped her. He leaned in and wiped the rest of the mud off her forehead with his sleeve. The girl stared at him with wide eyes until he noticed it and tilted his head to the right. "What?" he asked, frowning. She answered his question with another question. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice hoarse because of her crying.

The boy shook his head, frowning at her. "What are _you_ doing here?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her. His voice seemed hoarse, too, but she wasn't sure about that. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I asked first." She muttered stubbornly with a frown. The boy's eyes softened as he sat down by her. "I just got beat up. Everyone hates me." He looked at the _**Kaoiwa**_ with a frown. The girl's eyes widened before they fell to the ground. "You're not the only one," she muttered sadly while looking at the swing nearby. "You, too? I guess this village is crawling with jerks." The blonde grunted, rolling his eyes.

Glad that someone understood her feelings, she got bold. "I wish I could just spit right in their faces." She said as another rain cloud approached. "You should try it. It's fun." The boy replied, smirking her way. Her cheeks became red at his smirk. "I also wish I could get out of here. I don't want to be treated like trash for no reason. At least, I don't know why they treat me like that." Her words touched a string in his heart and he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Ditto. I'm being treated as if I were a dangerous monster; some even call me that at times." He told her, squinting as rain started coming down on them lightly.

Silence fell over them as the rain started to fall harder, almost pounding down on their heads. The girl sat back as she thought that having this boy as a friend wouldn't be so bad. She looked at him, wondering what he was thinking about. He sensed her looking at him and turned to her, smirking. She narrowed her eyes before smirking at him. "Uzumaki Naruto," He held out his hand at her and she grasped it. "Haruno Sakura," They kept smirking at each other, different things going through their minds. "Let's go," Naruto offered, his smirk never leaving his face.

"Go where?" Sakura asked, confusion written all over her face. "Outta here, somewhere else. Let's get out of this dump of a village." Naruto said, standing up and offering his hand. Sakura looked at it then at his face. He had a soft expression on, as if telling her she'll be okay with him. She grasped his hand and he helped her up. He turned to the Front Gates and started walking, sure that she would follow. Sakura looked back at the _**Kaoiwa **_then turned to Naruto's back and ran over to his side. It took them only a few minutes to get there but stopped when they laid eyes on the guards. "We're not going to be able to go through without them noticing us." Naruto muttered, hiding behind a bench nearby.

_Karasu….  
><em>_**  
><strong>_The rain poured down on the _**Uchiha clan**_ residence as bodies littered around on the floor. The blood on the walls and floors were being washed away as the rain came down harder. Only two people were alive in this district at this time of night. One was unconscious on the ground while the other stood over him, his gear shining under the full moon's light. He was wearing a black ninja shirt with black ninja pants and ninja sandals. Over his shirt, he had a chest guard. His legs and arms were covered by shin guards and armguards. There was a metal plate on each of his gloves. A sheathed _**katana **_was strapped to his back. The unconscious body in front of him was that of a boy.

The man shifted then turned away from the scene, his tears mixing with the rain. He walked out of the residence and began his journey to the Front Gates. As he walked through the streets, he replayed what he just did in his mind. He killed his uncle and aunt, his superiors, his clan members and his parents. And all because of what? Because they weren't satisfied with being the most powerful clan in all _**Hi no Kuni**_. His brother and he had to sacrifice everything they had, everything they believed in because of his father's greed. Now, he had to go into hiding because of the massacre he just created and possibly hurting his younger brother psychologically. He didn't have a choice. He couldn't bring himself to kill his brother; he loved him too much for that. Whether he looked for revenge or not was not his problem. He really hoped his brother will go after him and kill him. Something about him killing him made the man feel at ease, almost relaxed. It would definitely relieve him from the curse the _**Goikenban**_ has placed on him.

As he reached the path that led to Konoha's Front Gates, he noticed that he wasn't alone. He kept walking as if he was just taking a night stroll; glad the rain washed away all the blood off him and covered the scent. He dropped his guard, however, when his keen eye caught two kids hiding behind a nearby bench. He stopped when they stood up and began running towards the Front Gates. Curiosity got the best of him as he began following them, hiding behind the trees near the Front Gates. They hid behind the trees, just a few meters in front of him. They began talking to each other, the blond boy pointing at the guards during one of the sentences. The man got closer to them to listen in.

"How are we going to get pass them?" the blonde kid asked, pointing at the guards. "I don't know," the girl answered, her eyes landing on the two guards. "We can sneak pass them." The boy offered looking at the guards, ready to bolt. The girl held him back, shaking her head. "They're _**Shinobi**_, Naruto. They'll catch us faster than you can blink." The girl stated, surprising the man. He didn't doubt that she was no older than his younger brother. It interested him to no end as to how she knew that. "Then what are we going to do, Sakura-_**chan**_?" Naruto asked, frustrated that his plan won't work. Sakura narrowed her eyes at the guards. They looked bored and frustrated. _'Probably because it's raining.'_ She thought, glancing up at the trees. _'If only there was something that could distract them long enough for us to escape…That's it!" _Sakura started grinning as she looked at the guards then the trees in front of them. "C'mon, Naruto, I know how to get through." She grabbed his wrist and ran at the guards. The man watching them frowned and got closer to see what they were doing.

The guards at the Front Gates turned to the kids when they heard footsteps. "What are you two doing out here in the middle of the night?" One of the guards asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Help, my cat escaped and I can't get it." Sakura told them, pointing at the trees they were just in. The guards looked at each other before sighing and going out to look for it. "What color is it?" The other guard asked as they got ready to jump on the tree. "Black," she said, anxiety getting to her as she got ready to run. Naruto noticed and tensed his muscles, ready to bolt at any second. Thinking they were just anxious and worried about the cat, the two _**Shinobi**_ jumped on the tree and out of view from the kids. "Go." Sakura whispered as she started running towards the Front Gates, Naruto following close behind.

The man that was watching them looked at them then at the guards, who hadn't noticed the kids' _**chakra signature**_ fading quickly. They weren't fit to guard _**Konoha's**_ Gates if they were fooled that easily by children, the man thought with a frown. He thought too soon because one of the guards noticed the kids were gone and jumped off the tree. Because of the rain, it was hard to see but he could make out two small figures running out of the Front Gates. "Hey, stop!" He yelled as he started running after them. The other guard noticed and started to pursue with his partner. The man behind the trees grunted and followed them.

Sakura noticed the guards following them and told Naruto to run faster. Both sped up but soon ended up in the _**Chunin's**_ arms. They struggled to get out but the adults just held on tighter. "You two are going to the _**Hokage**_ and back to your parents." The _**Chunin**_ holding Sakura said. Sakura paled while Naruto flinched at the word 'parents'. A black figure appeared in front of them, startling them. "I don't think so. Let them go." The man said with a glare. One of the guards recognized him. "Uchiha Itachi? What are you doing here?"

"Fine, it's your choice." Itachi disappeared then appeared behind the guards. He hit both of them on the _**tenketsu**_ by their jugulars. Their eyes rolled to the back of their heads as their bodies went limp and fell to the ground. The kids landed on their feet and stared up at Itachi with fear. Itachi stared them down with his _**Sharingan**_ eyes. Their heart rates began racing as lightning struck far away and thunder roared over their heads. With one simple movement, both of the kids blacked out.

_Kitsune, Ryuu, Karasu….Day After_

Oceanic blue eyes opened slowly but closed again when light hit them. Blinking, Naruto opened his eyes again and rose. He looked around the room. There were two night stands, two beds and two doors. A window was to his right with its curtains closed. The light was on, providing perfect view of the man at the end of his bed. The man was still wearing his _**Anbu**_ attire. His hair was long enough that it was in a low ponytail. His eyes were as black as coal. He was sitting on a chair at the end of the blonde's bed. Tensing his muscles, Naruto asked for his name. "Uchiha Itachi," He introduced, standing up.

"What are you going to do with us?" Naruto asked, glancing at the bed beside his. Sakura was sleeping there with a peaceful expression on her face. "I am going to do nothing to you. I am simply curious as to why two kids would want to leave their homes." Itachi answered, closing his eyes. Naruto watched him stand up and walk over to the door in front of the two beds. Itachi opened the door and went in, closing it behind him. Sighing in relief, Naruto leaned back on the headboard of the bed. His eyes landed on Sakura. He looked at the bathroom door as it opened again, revealing Itachi carrying a plate of food.

"Here, you're probably starving." Itachi offered, placing the tray on the night stand separating the beds. "I'm not hungry," Naruto was interrupted when his stomach did the talking for him. Itachi nodded and placed the tray on his lap. "Eat; you'll need your energy." Itachi muttered, turning away from him and sitting down on the chair again. Naruto looked down at the plate of dango on his lap then back up at Itachi. Grabbing a stick, he put it in his mouth. His eyes lit up as he tasted the sweets. Itachi watched in mild amusement as Naruto ate the entire plate in record time.

Satisfied, Naruto leaned back against the headboard. "Now that you've had your fill and she's waking up, how about you two tell me why you wanted to leave?" Itachi asked as he watched Sakura sit up and rub her eyes. She looked around the room before tensing up when she laid eyes on him. "We'll tell you if you tell us something." Naruto replied, sitting up.

Itachi thought about it. _'They're probably going to ask where we are and why I brought them here.'_ He sat back in his chair, nodding. "Why do people hate us so much?" Naruto asked, shocking Itachi a bit. However, Itachi's face remained impassive. _'I never thought he would ask that. Why did he, though….? Oh, I get it.' _Itachi stood up and walked over to the window, the kids watching his every move. _'They have their guard up, that's good.'_

"That's why you left, because people hated you and got tired of it?" Itachi asked, turning his back on them. They sat there, not uttering a word. Itachi closed his eyes then turned back to them. "About six years ago, a fox demon with nine tails appeared in _**Konoha**_. His name was _**Kyuubi no Yoko**_. He was a powerful mass of _**chakra**_, something no one could beat. The _**Yondaime Hokage**_ came up with a solution, to seal the monster away in a new born baby. He sealed it away in you, Naruto. That's why the village treats you so badly. They're afraid of the demon, they're afraid of you." Itachi looked at Sakura, who was looking at Naruto with sorrowful eyes. "Sakura, your clan participated in the founding of _**Konoha **_over a hundred years ago. Before then, your clan has had expectations from the leader's family. The first son or daughter born is to take over as the next leader. The second born is to be a kind of servant to the first born. That's why people look down on you so much. They're disgusted with the fact that you were born." Itachi explained, watching as everything clicked in their minds.

"But, wait! Why would they be disgusted with me if my parents are the ones who brought me in?" Sakura asked, not believing her clan would act that way. "Because they see you as a nuisance to the first born. You may become powerful enough to overthrow the first born. They don't want that." Itachi turned his back on them, looking at the dark blinds. "You see, to them the first born is the strongest because they would have more experience. It's logical but cruel." Itachi looked over his shoulder at them. Naruto was looking down at his hands while Sakura looked at him with understanding yet sadness. It almost broke his already weakened heart. He had the urge to go over to them and hug them and tell them everything is going to be all right. But they had to make a decision of their own; they couldn't count on anyone to help them make choices when they could.

"But I'm not the _**Kyuubi**_, am I?" Naruto asked, looking up at him. "No, you're just a six year old with the strongest _**Bijuu**_ in the world sealed inside of you. You are nothing like the _**Kyuubi.**_" Itachi turned to them, frowning when Naruto gripped the bed sheets. "The _**Kyuubi**_ is powerful, full of rage and anger. You're just a kid." Itachi assured but it didn't do any good. Right in front of him, he saw Naruto's heart filling with darkness and hatred. And Sakura wasn't in any better shape.

Naruto gripped the sheets tighter, rage consuming his every thought. Why would they do this to him? Why would they judge him like this? He didn't even have a say in the matter, why should they treat him the way they do? He was just a kid, a boy without parents who's looking for a family. _'Not anymore. They wanted a demon? I'll give them a demon. They'll regret everything they've done to me.'_ Naruto thought, his fists loosening their grip.

Sakura seemed to be on the same train of thought. _'They don't want me to surpass __**Nee-chan**__, huh? That's just too bad. I've had it with them mistreating everyone they see unworthy. And I doubt they'll go down if I ask nicely. Looks like I'll have to unleash a fury on them first. Then, I can take over the clan and change the stupid rules.'_

Itachi frowned when they both looked at him with glares. "Train us," Naruto said, his voice dropping an octave. Itachi tensed but they didn't notice. _'I was going to meet __**Akatsuki**__ after I let them go. I can't bring them in; the guys will use them as ragdolls.' _Itachi looked at their determined stares and inwardly smirked. _'But I think that's what they want.'_ He nodded and stood in between the beds. "Fine. We'll be joining a group of S-rank _**Nukenin**_. I will train you there. We'll leave at nightfall."

_Hokage Tower…..Same Day_

An old man with a white beard sighed through his nose as he lit up his pipe and looked at all of the reports on his desk. The light coming from the windows behind him caught the names of the late Ninja on the papers. The old man glanced at the one on the top. _'Uchiha Fugaku, you brought this upon yourself. To think you'd be foolish enough to even think about it…'_ The man left that thought as he began putting the papers away. His head was pounding harder than it pounded four years ago when his evil student left the village and left all of the damage to them. He sighed again. He should've seen all of the paperwork and publicity coming. However, it was for the best. Itachi did his job and that's all to it. The only problem is that Itachi left his younger brother alive, something Danzo would get the jump on.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. The man ordered for whoever was outside to come in. A man with dark red hair and coal eyes came in with a frown. "_**Hokage-sama**_, I have a problem." The man muttered, bowing his head slightly. "What is it, Haiiro?" The _**Hokage**_ asked, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his temple. What could be worse than a massacre where the most powerful clan in all _**Hi no Kuni**_ was murdered? "My daughter, she's gone." Haiiro announced, shocking the _**Hokage**_. "Amaya? What happened?" The _**Hokage **_asked, leaning forward.

"No, it's not Amaya. It's Sakura, I've looked everywhere for her. She's not here." Haiiro said in such a calm tone that had the Hokage suspecting what happened. The door of the office burst open and two _**Chunin **_came running in, panting for air. "Sarutobi-_**sama**_, it's Uchiha Itachi! He took two kids and then he-" One rambled on when he caught his breath. Sarutobi stopped him then told him to start from the beginning.

"We were guarding the gates like we always do when these two kids came by, saying that their cat escaped and was stuck in a tree. We went to go get it but it was a trick. The kids had started running out of the village. We went after them and caught them but then Itachi came and told us to let them go. We didn't so he knocked us out." The other explained as Haiiro and Sarutobi listened to him. "You're saying that it was two kids? Did you know them?" Sarutobi asked, already suspecting who one of them could be.

"One was Uzumaki Naruto and the other was a girl. It was hard to see her because of the rain but we're certain that it was Naruto with her." One said, looking directly into the _**Hokage's**_ eyes. Sarutobi sighed and leaned back. "Itachi must have taken them. This is not good. First the Uchiha Massacre and now this….We can't track them down because of the rain that fell last night. They could be passed the _**Hi no Kuni Border**_ by now because of Itachi's speed. Their trail could go cold at any minute._** Chunin**_, explain everything to the Messengers and tell them to send a message to all of the _**Anbu **_from the Northern posts down to the Border. We need to catch Itachi. Haiiro, tell Tsume to try to track down your daughter. Let's hope she wasn't the one Itachi took. _**Oni**_, tell Anbu to look for Uzumaki Naruto everywhere in the village. Go!" An _**Anbu**_ appeared in the corner, bowed then disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

The _**Chunin**_ left the office. "Tell me, Haiiro, has your daughter ever befriended Uzumaki Naruto?" Sarutobi asked, lighting up the forgotten pipe. "No, sir. She's never left the clan's residence before and when she has, she's with her mother." Haiiro answered, bowing his head slowly. "She hasn't been bullied physically or verbally, has she?" Sarutobi pushed, knowing how the _**Haruno clan**_ methods work. "If you wouldn't mind, _**Hokage-sama**_, I'm going to go search for my daughter." Haiiro ignored the question, bowed and left the office.

_'If Itachi did take them, he would have a good reason for it. Something tells me that the kids weren't just kidnapped,'_

_Karasu, Kitsune, Ryuu….Day After_

Itachi, Naruto and Sakura walked through the soaked territory, the strong wind making their cloaks flap. The rain poured down on them as they made their way to _**Amegakure no Sato**_. Itachi had said that that will be their next stop then they will take on the road again. Itachi had explained to them that he had some acquaintance there that would be willing to take them in. While Naruto and Sakura struggled through the muddy grounds, Itachi was thinking to himself what the reaction of the _**Akatsuki**_ leader will be. He could be pissed or disappointed. He could be glad that there are some willing recruits. Whatever reaction the kids may cause, Itachi was _not_ ready for it.

Laughing caught his attention as he turned back to the kids, who were on the ground. Naruto was on top of Sakura with a mud ball in his hand while he held her down and Sakura had his collar in a death grip while she slammed a ball of mud in his face. Naruto got ready to drop the ball on her when Itachi coughed. They froze and looked at him. He glared at them as they scrambled to their feet and stuttered an excuse. "I'm going to let it slide this time but next time there will be a punishment. I will allow you to play whenever we get off the radar. However, for now, we are in danger of getting caught and brought back home. Stop acting like children and behave. I understand that this is your first time with friends but you cannot kid around now. Later, got it?" Itachi explained and they nodded, running up to catch up with him.

"Itachi-_**sensei**_, what's _**Ame**_ like?" Sakura asked after a moment of silence. Itachi never took his eyes from the road but he did answer. "It goes by its name because it rains there almost every day. It's a small _**Shinobi Village**_, nothing special." Itachi finished and Naruto frowned. "Why are we headed there if it's not special?" Naruto asked, looking up at him. Itachi looked down at them, wondering if he should tell them. In the end, he settled for telling them because they'll find out sooner or later. Better now to come to terms that enemies are everywhere rather than later. "_**Konoha**_ and _**Ame**_ are not in good terms with each other. _**Konoha**_ ninja are not allowed in _**Ame**_ territory and _**Ame**_ ninja aren't allowed in _**Konoha**_ territory if it does not involve the _**Chunin Exams**_."

"_**Chunin**_ _**Exams**_?" Sakura asked, curiosity kicking in full gear. Figuring that they haven't learned a thing about being a ninja, Itachi began explaining every basic thing. "Ninja are divided into six different categories. There's _**Genin, Chunin, Jonin, Tokubetsu Jonin, Anbu and Kage. Genin **_are the ninja who a fresh out of the _**Ninja Gakko**_ and are put into a Three-Man Squad led by a _**Jonin**_. A _**Chunin**_ are stronger and comes after being a _**Genin**_. You must pass the _**Chunin Exams**_ to achieve that level. A _**Jonin**_ rank is reached after _**Genin**_ and _**Chunin**_. _** Jonin**_ are the top of the pack. They're the strongest of the village. Some take on groups of _**Genin**_, others would rather work with other _**Jonin**_. _**Tokubetsu Jonin**_ are trained in a particular area. For example, Sakura, the _**Tokubetsu Jonin**_ of your clan specialize in creating illusions and tricking enemies. _**Anbu**_ are highly secretive and skilled. To become one, you must be very skilled in the stealth and assassination arts. They wear masks to cover their true identities. They work under the sole power of their _**Kage**_. The_** Kage**_ are the leaders of their village. They're the strongest ninja in the entire nation."

"There are five _**Kages**_ in the entire continent: _**Hokage**_, _**Kazekage**_, _**Raikage**_, _**Tsuchikage**_ and _**Mizukage**_. The _**Hokage**_ is the leader of _**Konohagakure**_ _**no**_ _**Sato**_ in _**Hi**_ _**no**_ _**Kuni**_. The _**Kazekage**_ is the leader of _**Sunagakure no Sato**_ in _**Kaze no Kuni**_. The _**Raikage**_ is the leader of _**Kumogakure no Sato**_ in _**Kaminari no Kuni**_. The _**Tsuchikage**_ is the leader of _**Iwagakure no Sato**_ in _**Tsuchi no Kuni**_. The _**Mizukage**_ is the leader of _**Kirigakure no Sato**_ in _**Mizu no Kuni**_. Each _**Kage**_ is named after the territory the village is in. The _**Kage**_ also assigns missions to lower ranked ninja and takes care of political issues."

"The missions rank from D to S. D-Rank missions are assigned to _**Genin**_. C-Rank and B-Rank missions are assigned to _**Chunin**_. A-Rank and sometimes S-Rank missions are given to _**Jonin**_. Most of the S-Rank missions that consist of assassination and information stealing are given to _**Anbu**_." Itachi finished, letting the information sink in. "Wait, we weren't in any of those villages you just mentioned earlier. What was that about?" Sakura asked and Itachi smirked inwardly. _'It looks like she's the brains out of us all. That's good.'_

"There are villages and towns that don't have ninja and are just for tourism or farming. The only territory that does shipping is _**Nami no Kuni**_. They are very rich and the Daimyo couldn't be any happier with it. There are, however, villages smaller than the _**Five Great Countries**_ with ninja like _**Amegakure**_. We were just in an outpost town outside of _**Hi no Kuni**_."

Itachi finished just as they reached the gates of _**Amegakure**_. They walked in but were stopped by guards. One of them narrowed his eyes at Itachi then looked at his _**Hitaiate**_. It had the _**Konoha **_symbol with a line running across it. _'__**Nukenin.**__**Kami-sama**__ said that he was coming.'_ Nodding, the guard let them through. Itachi led Naruto and Sakura through the streets, making sure they were following him. They reached the tallest building in the village and went in.

Itachi walked into a room, followed by the kids. The door closed behind him by itself, something that made the kids' guards go up. "Uchiha Itachi, one of the two survivors of the Uchiha clan, who were killed in cold blood by your hand. You also seem to have kidnapped _**Konohagakure's Jinchuuriki**_ and the second daughter of Haruno Haiiro, leader of the _**Haruno clan**_ that same night. Or so my spies in _**Konoha**_ tell me." A man came out of the shadows. His orange hair was sticking to his _**Hitaiate**_ due to the rain. His eyes were purple, multiple circles surrounding the pupil. He had rods and rings all over his face but that wasn't what scared the kids shitless. It was his eyes. They gave fear a whole new meaning.

"Is it true, Itachi?" The man asked, his eyes landing on the kids. Although scared, Naruto got in front of Sakura. "No, Pein-_**sama**_. They wanted to tag along." Itachi bowed his head then looked up at him. "Why would they want to be with an S-Rank criminal?" Pein asked looking at Itachi then back at the kids. Itachi looked down at them and nodded. Naruto relaxed enough to stand by Sakura but not completely. "Why would we want to stay somewhere where we are not wanted?" Naruto asked, answering the question. "I see. You got tired to being mistreated. Answer this: What do you feel towards _**Konoha**_ now that you know the truth?" Pein asked, wondering what was going through their minds. "Hatred," Sakura muttered under her breath, glaring at the ground. "Rage," Naruto mumbled as he glared at his hands.

Pein heard them but he wanted to hear them shout it. "I didn't hear you," He told them. "I said hatred." Sakura said, glaring at him. "I feel rage." Naruto growled, his voice dropping an octave like earlier. Pein looked at Itachi, who nodded. "Good, I don't want any soft-hearted person in my group. Here's the Inn's key. Itachi, I will meet with you later. It was nice meeting you, Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto."

Pein turned his back on them, deciding the meeting was done. Itachi led the kids out of the office and to the Inn, where he told them to rest. They took a bath and fell like rocks on their beds. Knowing they will be safe, Itachi left to go meet with Pein again.

"I am afraid Orochimaru is growing jealous of your power, Itachi. He's a danger to our organization." Pein informed, turning his back on Itachi. "I want you to drive him out of _**Akatsuki**_ soon. I don't care what methods you use, just as long as you do. Is that clear?" Pein turned back to Itachi, who nodded. "Good. Now, about those two….I want you to put them into shape as soon as possible. I don't want the guys taking advantage of their age and weakness."

"_**Hai**_,"

"I also want you to get the _**Haruno clan's Kuchiyose Contract**_. It might be useful to us but only get it when Sakura is ready. I don't want something else going wrong." Pein ordered, glaring at Itachi. Itachi activated his _**Sharingan**_, ready if there was a fight. Pein grunted then looked away, walking into the shadows in the room. Itachi turned around, leaving the office.

_Haruno Clan Residence…..Week After Disappearance._

Haiiro sat down at the dinner room and laid his head down on the table. A woman with light brown hair and blue eyes came out of the kitchen carrying three dinner plates full of food. A girl with red hair and light blue eyes came running down the stairs and sat down at the table. The woman gave each their plate and sat down herself. They started eating dinner in silence. The silence was a little uncomfortable with the fact that Haiiro wouldn't look at them at all. The woman and girl looked at each other before going back to their food.

When everyone was almost done, the woman had had enough. "What's wrong, Haiiro?" She asked, stopping all eating in the room. Haiiro looked at his curious daughter and his worried wife before sighing. "It's Sakura, Keiko. She's not in the village." Haiiro said, pushing his plate away. "What? Where is she?" Keiko asked, worry written all over her face. "I don't know but we suspect that Uchiha Itachi kidnapped her."

"Wait, Uchiha Itachi? As in the one who killed off the entire Uchiha clan?" the girl asked, frowning. "Yes. He probably took Uzumaki Naruto, too." Haiiro sighed, leaning back in his chair. The girl was so caught up in her own world that she almost missed the name, almost. "Wait, he took the _**Jinchuuriki**_, too-"

"Amaya, we are not supposed to talk about that. We're already breaking the law by telling you." Haiiro snapped, glaring at her. Amaya frowned and looked away. "A future leader must know what's what early." She muttered but Haiiro ignored her. "I'm afraid of her death. If she dies, who's going to be by Amaya's side whenever she needs something?" Haiiro asked no one in particular. Keiko frowned at his way of thinking but didn't say anything. Amaya gasped and started freaking out, as if the world was ending tomorrow.

Haiiro looked at Keiko, who sighed and nodded. He told Amaya to calm down and reassured her that there was going to be someone by her side. Amaya calms down and goes to her room. Keiko goes to do the dishes while Haiiro stays at the table, thinking. _'Who needs Sakura when you can have another baby? I just hope this one doesn't turn out like her.'_

_Karasu, Kitsune, Ryuu….Two Days Later_

Itachi led them through _**Tanzaku Town**_ after they left _**Amegakure**_. Naruto and Sakura looked around, amazed at the fact that the road was completely full at this time of night. Their cloaks sometimes got caught on purses or bags but other than that, they've been able to manage. Itachi led them into an Inn, where he rented a room for the two of them. As they walked down the hallway, Sakura asked why only a room for them.

"Because we're in _**Hi no Kuni**_ and it's only been a week since I took you in. Our trail may be cold but I'm not risking us getting caught by _**Jonin**_ or _**Anbu**_." Itachi explained as he opened the door to their room. "So, you're not going to sleep tonight?" Naruto asked as they walked in and closed the door behind them. "No. I'm going to be keeping guard outside. Now, listen closely. I want you two to practice on the _**Henge no jutsu**_ while I'm gone. Don't open the door to anyone, not even to me. I have the key so I'll come in using it. I'll come back with dinner and when everything out there has settled down." With that said, Itachi left the room.

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other before shrugging. They put their packs on the bed and began weaving hand signs. "_**Henge no jutsu**_!" They shouted, smoke surrounding the room. Nothing seemed to happen as they both stood there, grinning at each other. Smoke filled the room again as they undid the _**jutsu**_. Naruto was standing where Sakura used to be and vice versa. They laughed then fell backwards on the bed. As their laughter died down, they stared at the ceiling, thinking about the past week.

Silence fell over them as their eyes stayed locked onto the ceiling. "It's not going to be easy, huh?" Naruto asked out of the blue, eyes still on the ceiling. "No," Sakura answered, knowing what he was talking about. "But we'll always be there for each other, right?" Naruto asked with a frown. Sakura sat up on her elbows and looked at him. He looked at her and their eyes met. She grabbed a kunai from her pack and sat up completely. Curious as to what she was doing, Naruto sat up with her. With trembling hands, Sakura doubled her resolve and cut her wrist. Naruto jumped up but Sakura sat him back down and cut his own wrist. Naruto groaned but stopped as soon as he felt warm liquid running down his arm. He looked at Sakura with tears at the corner of his eyes. He noticed Sakura was shedding some of her own tears because of the pain, too.

"With this kunai covered in both of our blood, I promise we'll always be friends." Sakura said, her voice tinted with pain. Naruto looked at the kunai and grabbed the hilt, covering her hand with his. "I promise that I'll never leave you alone, Sakura-_**chan**_. You are my first and only true friend. I'll never let you down." Naruto said as he grinned at her. Sakura smiled at him as he leaned in and touched his forehead with hers. "Always," He muttered, still grinning. Sakura then looked for the tape and wrapped it around her wrist. She grabbed his and was about to wrap it when she noticed his cut was halfway healed already.

Sakura frowned at it and wrapped it, putting the tape away afterwards. "Let's keep training, then. We have to impress Itachi-_**sensei**_." Naruto said jumping up to his feet. Sakura nodded and formed the _**jutsu**_ signs. "_**Henge no jutsu**_!"

_(A/N: Remember, this is a dark fic. They will be ruthless and way more powerful than the Rookie Nine will be. I will show their training sometimes and even in flashbacks. The Haruno Clan's methods will be explained more detailed later. Next chapter there will be a rape scene. It will not be Sakura or Naruto or Itachi or whoever comes to mind. I will explain more next chapter. Now, the Glossary:_

_**Akatsuki-**__ An organization made up of S-Rank criminals. Their leader appears to be Pein. Their motives are yet to be known…  
><em>_**Amegakure no Sato- Village Hidden in the Rain**__  
><em>_**Anbu-**__ An assassination unit directly under the Kage's control. They embark on assassination missions and on espionage. They usually wear masks and protective gear to protect themselves from any oncoming attacks.  
><em>_**Bijuu- Tailed Beasts**__  
><em>_**Chakra-**__ Physical and mental energy one contains inside its body. It is used for Jutsu and Sealing.  
><em>_**Chunin- Middle Ninja**__  
><em>_**-Chan-**__ Honorific used for females when in friendly terms.  
><em>_**Five Great Countries-**__ The five biggest countries in the Ninja World. They consist of Hi no Kuni, Kaze no Kuni, Mizu no Kuni, Tsuchi no Kuni and Kaminari no Kuni.  
><em>_**Genin- Lower Ninja**__  
><em>_**Goikenban- Advisory Council**__  
><em>_**Hai (Yes, sir/ma'am)- **__Usually used when answering in a polite manner.  
><em>_**Haruno Clan-**__ One of the middle class ninja clans of Konohagakure. Although their status might not be very big in the village, their Shinobi are feared throughout the Five Great Countries because of the terrible Illusions the clan uses. Because they are feared, they are very judgmental and self-conscious. They are also known for the cruelty in the Main Family. The first born of the current leader must be the next leader while the second and/or third born are to serve the first. The clan sees the second and third as a nuisance to the first and are not allowed to become ninja.  
><em>_**Henge no jutsu- Transformation Jutsu**__  
><em>_**Hi no Kuni- Land of Fire**__  
><em>_**Hi no Kuni Border (Land of Fire Border)- **__This border divides the Land of Fire and Land of Rice Patties. Konoha Anbu have posts on this border to protect against the intruders.  
><em>_**Hitaiate- Headband**__  
><em>_**Hokage- Fire Shadow**__  
><em>_**Iwagakure no Sato- Village Hidden Within the Stones**__  
><em>_**Jinchuuriki (Tailed Beast Host)-**__ Human beings with a Bijuu sealed inside of them are called Jinchuuriki. These people are usually loners and are feared by their village. However, the village did use them as weapons during the Three Shinobi Wars. An example of a Jinchuuriki is Uzumaki Naruto, who had the Kyuubi no Yoko sealed inside of him soon after his birth.  
><em>_**Jonin- Elite Ninja**__  
><em>_**Kage (Shadow)-**__ Leader of a Shinobi Village. There are only five Kage: Hokage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage, Raikage and Mizukage.  
><em>_**Kami-sama (God)-**__ Usually referred to one's god. However, Amegakure uses it to describe and/or name their current leader.  
><em>_**Kaminari no Kuni – Land of Lightning  
>Kaoiwa (Face Cliff)-<strong>__ The mountain located in the background of Konoha. The faces of the previous and current Hokage are carved into it as a memory of those who led the village once.  
><em>_**Kaze no Kuni- Land of Wind**__  
><em>_**Kazekage- Wind Shadow**__  
><em>_**Kirigakure no Sato- Village Hidden in the Mist**__  
><em>_**Konohagakure no Sato- Village Hidden in the Leaves**__  
><em>_**Kuchiyose Contract (Summoning Contract)-**__ The Kuchiyose Contract is something village clans have. The clan members are able to summon giant animals, who can help them during fights or work. Only a few clans all over the world use the Kuchiyose, however. Because of this, it's rare seeing Kuchiyose during battles.  
><em>_**Kumogakure no Sato- Village Hidden in the Clouds  
>Kyuubi no Yoko (Nine-Tailed Fox)-<strong>__ It is said that it's a mass of chakra in the form of a fox with nine tails. It's one of the strongest Bijuu out there. However, there are some secrets behind the Kyuubi that only an extinct village and clan know about.  
><em>_**Mizu no Kuni- Land of Water**__  
><em>_**Mizukage- Water Shadow**__  
><em>_**Nami no Kuni- Land of Waves  
>Nee-chan (Older Sister)- <strong>__It can be used after the name or alone.  
><em>_**Ninja Gakko- Ninja Academy  
>Nukenin- Missing Ninja<br>Oni- Ogre  
>Raikage- Lightning Shadow<strong>__  
><em>_**-Sama (Lord/Lady)- **__Used for showing respect and/or admiration.  
><em>_**-Sensei (Teacher)-**__ Genin usually call their teachers like this.  
><em>_**Sharingan (Copy Wheel Eyes)- **__The ability of the Uchiha Clan. It is a special eye that a ver small percentage if the clan possesses. It gives them the power of insight, allowing them to see through illusions and can be used to hypnotize others. Furthermore, it allows its user to copy any techniques they see.  
><em>_**Shinobi- Male Ninja  
>Shinobi Village (Ninja Village)-<strong>__ Villages that consider ninja as their military power.  
><em>_**Sunagakure no Sato- Village Hidden in the Sand  
>Tanzaku Town-<strong>__ A town that focuses on entertainment such as gambling houses, festivals and tourism. Its biggest attraction is the Tanzaku Castle at the north of the town.  
><em>_**Tenketsu- Pressure Points  
>Tokubetsu Jonin- Special Elite Ninja<br>Tsuchi no Kuni- Land of Earth  
>Tsuchikage- Earth Shadow<br>Uchiha Clan-**__ Konohagakure's best clan. Because of their Sharingan ability, they are the best of the best in Hi no Kuni. They run Konoha's police force. However, their self-conscious led them to wanting more power and tried to plan a way to get rid of the current Hokage and place the clan's leader, Uchiha Fugaku, as the Godaime Hokage. The Hokage and Goikenban decided to kill off the Uchiha clan and had Uchiha Itachi get rid of them. Itachi created the great Uchiha Massacre and is rumoured to have run off with two more children. However, Itachi left his younger brother, Uchiha Sasuke, alive and now the Uchiha's future depends on the soon-to-be seven year old. Not many people know of the truth behind the massacre so everyone thinks that Itachi is the bad guy.  
><em>_**Yondaime Hokage- Fourth Hokage**_

_Now that that's over, I will set a few things straight. This is not a drama fic, nor is it a happy fic. It's dark and won't have many romantic moments between Naruto and Sakura. Judging by the title, some of you probably already know who the third member of the team is. If you don't, wait until the next chapter. I will warn you again: there will be a rape scene next chapter. You can skip it if you want. It will not involve the main characters. Also, some fights will be gruesome, as in bloody, messy and full of gore. And I know his name is spelled 'Pain', I just don't want anyone to get confused so I spelled it 'Pein'._

_I will accept criticism but not flames. I will delete the review immediately and ignore any private messaging. I will appreciate any ideas and thank any good criticism. Also, anyone who knows exactly when and where the Akatsuki members joined the group, can you tell me? It will be of great help. Thanks for reading,_

_7__th__ Creature_


	2. Home

_(A/N: First thing I'd like to say is thank you for the review. I appreciate them. Also, each chapter is going to be longer than the last, you can count on that. I'll try to update every weekend. Chapter Three is already half way there. There's nothing else to say so enjoy.)_

_Karasu, Kitsune, Ryuu…..Later That Night_

Itachi led them out of the Inn at one in the morning. He grabbed them by the back of their shirts' collars and jumped onto the roofs. The kids, having gotten used to that the past week, followed him as he made his way through the roof of a pub. He stopped them a few feet away from the edge and looked down. He needed to make sure they were there because he had been later than usual. A few Anbu had been in the town and he had to take cover and watch them until they left. He was half an hour late but he was relieved when a man walked into the alley he was looking into with an underage girl over his shoulders.

He looked over his shoulder at the kids, who waited patiently for his next orders. He waved them over then told them to be quiet when they were standing by him. He pointed down at the man. They both looked down, getting on their knees as to not be seen.

The man threw the girl on the ground on her back. He ripped open her shirt and bra. Sakura's eyes widened as she watched the man run his hands over the girl's chest. She knew that was one place where men were not supposed to touch girls. Her stomach turned as the man covered the girl's mouth when she started screaming. Naruto seemed confused but his eyes widened when the man slapped the girl in the face. Itachi watched their reactions carefully, making sure neither of them tried to leave or look away.

The man proceeded to take the girl's skirt off and rub her underwear. Sakura's breathing became laboured, something Itachi noticed right away. Naruto turned his head away when he saw the man unbutton his jeans and lower his boxers. Itachi forced Naruto's head back to look into the alley but Naruto closed his eyes shut. "Naruto, look." Itachi's command seemed harsh but Naruto wouldn't listen. A scream broke through the silence as the man slammed into the girl hard and fast. Naruto inhaled and held his breath. Itachi's hand was still on his head.

Naruto felt a fist connect with his stomach but Itachi held him in place. "I said look, Naruto." Itachi repeated, his voice colder than ice. Slowly, Naruto opened his eyes fearing another punch in the gut. He glanced at Sakura. She was trembling as she watched the man thrust into the girl as hard as he could. The sound of flesh hitting flesh, the man's groans and the girl's whimpers were the only thing they heard in the dead silence of the town. Itachi forced Naruto to look in the alley instead of at Sakura. The blonde watched as the man went faster even as the girl told him to stop.

The man let out a grunt and started slowing down. When the man separated from her, all the kids could see was blood. Sakura's stomach turned again as she gripped the edge of the roof. The man pulled up his boxers and pants then took out a switchblade. Naruto's eyes widened as the man got closer to the girl and grabbed her hair. He whispered something into her ear before smirking and slitting her throat.

Itachi decided he had enough and took out a kunai, throwing it at the man's head. The man fell down on the floor, blood spilling out from the wound. Naruto's heart stopped at that moment. Itachi could've done that earlier. He could've killed that man before he killed her. He could've prevented whatever just happened if he had just thrown that kunai when it all started.

Itachi was watching Sakura throw up her dinner onto the alley when he sensed an evil chakra. Sakura stopped throwing up when she sensed that evil feeling then started throwing up again when it was too much for her. Itachi turned to Naruto, who was standing up. He was looking down, his hair covering his face. "You could've stopped this…" Naruto muttered without looking at him. His voice had taken a deeper tone, almost demonic. Itachi nodded but Naruto saw it. He looked up at him, his eyes red with slits. He had claws and fangs, and his hair was wilder. "Why didn't you, then?" Naruto growled at him, rage consuming his every thought. Itachi smirked under his Akatsuki cloak. _'This is the chakra I felt six years ago. It's the Kyuubi's all right.'_ He thought as Naruto glared at him. "I have my reasons. In the meantime, why don't we get back to the Inn before Sakura starts throwing up her intestines?" It wasn't a question but more like a command. Naruto growled at him, something Itachi wouldn't have around here. He activated his Sharingan. Moments later, Naruto fell unconscious to the ground. Sighing, Itachi picked him up and threw him over his shoulder as if he was a sack of dirt. "Let's go, Sakura." Said girl wiped the vomit off the corner of her mouth and followed him.

Itachi helped her off the roof and they proceeded towards the Inn. When they were all in their room and Naruto awake but strapped to his bed by a rope, Itachi decided to explain his actions. "Ninja will encounter these things during missions. There are things far worse than this. There will be betrayal, death, unimaginable things. I wanted you guys to know this from the beginning." Itachi explained as Naruto struggled to get out of the bindings. "Why didn't you stop it from the moment it started? He hurt her!" Naruto yelled at him then flinched when Itachi looked at him.

"That's why I killed him after he was done. He won't do that to anyone else." Itachi told him with a glare. Naruto gritted his teeth then looked away. "But why did you wait until after he killed her? Why didn't you kill him before he did?" Sakura asked from her bed. Her voice sounded weak from all the throwing up she did. "Because she was a criminal, too." Itachi said, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. Naruto perked up at this. "What do you mean?" He asked looking back at him.

"I was looking around the village earlier and went into one of the gambling houses. I saw her stealing from a few machines but I also saw that the man that just raped her was watching her. I knew this was going to happen. If I hadn't interrupted, he would've gone to her room and stole all of the things she had stolen earlier in the day." Itachi explained as he stood up and walked over to the window. He looked out at the town then closed the drapes. "We have to get rid of criminals before they do worse. Who knows what they would have done with that money. Rob, kill, or worse." Itachi looked back at them as he took out a kunai and threw it. It cut the ropes around Naruto. The blonde sat up, rubbing his arms. "You must see underneath the underneath. That's something the Yondaime Hokage taught Konoha." Itachi told them, remembering the last advice the Yondaime gave them.

"I will be showing you more of this kind of evil so be ready in the future." Itachi said turning back to them. The kids were glad for a change of subject. "Now get some rest. I'm going to teach you how to travel at faster speeds first thing tomorrow."

_Haruno Clan Residence- Month After Disappearance_

Haiiro walked into his house with a frown on his face. He had just finished his search for Sakura with a successful find. He walked into the kitchen, where Keiko was making dinner. "I have some news," he muttered as he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. "What is it?" Keiko asked without turning to him. "She didn't leave. Itachi took her and the Jinchuuriki." Haiiro answered after a gulp of water.

Unsure of what to say, Keiko just nodded. Haiiro frowned at her then put the bottle back. Keiko finally turned to him with a frown. "Haiiro, I'm expecting." She told him, placing a hand on her stomach. Haiiro's frown turned into a smile as he walked over to his wife and hugged her. "That's great, Keiko. Amaya won't have to worry about a helper anymore." Haiiro said as he kissed her cheek. "Yeah, helper." Keiko muttered, letting her forehead fall on his shoulder.

_Karasu, Kitsune, Ryuu…..A Year Later_

Itachi, Naruto and Sakura walked in the desert on their way to Sunagakure. They were wearing their Akatsuki cloaks. They were black with red clouds on it. Naruto and Sakura were wearing hoodies while Itachi had a straw hat on. It's been a year since they all left their village. Naruto and Sakura had learned various things at an amazing speed. Itachi had guessed that they were both supposed to be legends; people just didn't bother unlocking their true abilities. But Itachi had taken it upon himself to unlock those strengths and make them legends.

The two had learned everything a Shinobi will face during their careers except true betrayal. Itachi wanted them to face it themselves, not pull a few strings so it can happen. He had also taught them a lot about jutsu and their abilities. Sakura didn't seem to want to be like her clan, even if she was really good at _**Genjutsu**_. She had said something about being a Medic so that she could help Naruto, who seemed to always be in danger or in the process of getting hurt. Naruto, on the other hand, likes to rush into things. Itachi had taught him the _**Kage Bushin no jutsu**_ so he wasn't the one rushing in but rather the _**Kage Bushin**_.

Itachi now was on the search of some _**Futon**_ jutsu in Kaze no Kuni. He found out that they were both _**Futon**_ users. However, their second nature element was different. Naruto's was _**Suiton**_ while Sakura's was _**Katon**_. Also, Itachi was right about Sakura being the brains. She absorbs everything she hears or sees like a sponge. She's come in handy in plenty of situations. Then Naruto comes in and outdoes everyone in his battle skills. Itachi had figured out a long time ago that what the Sandaime had said about Heaven and Earth was right.

However, their skills weren't the only thing that had changed. Now that they were both seven and had money to buy whatever they wanted, they took more care of themselves. Sakura's pink hair had grown a little passed her shoulders and she was taller than Naruto now. She wore a red tank top with a short-sleeve mesh shirt under. She had black shorts with black leggings under them. Naruto's hair was a little longer; it covered most of his forehead. He had a black short-sleeve shirt with a muscle shirt that had sleeves that reached down to his elbows under it. He had long orange ninja pants, something Itachi didn't like but it was his style. They were both wearing black boots because of the desert. Itachi still had his Anbu uniform under his Akatsuki cloak because he thought it was more useful rather than having your own style.

As they neared Sunagakure's gates, Itachi used a Henge to transform into an old man. Naruto and Sakura used a Henge to change into two four-year-olds. When they got to the gates, which were huge walls of sand, the guards stopped them. Itachi gave them an ID, saying that he was just a traveller. The guards checked the ID and asked about the kids. Itachi explained to them that they were just grandchildren wanting to travel with their grandfather. The guards let them through. Since it was nearing dinner time, Itachi sent the kids to get a room in one of the Inns. That left him alone to wonder around the village, looking for any sign of Konoha-nin. When he didn't see anything, he went to look for dinner. He bought ramen, rewarding Naruto for learning the _**Kage Bushin**_.

When he went into the room, Itachi found Naruto meditating with three _**Kage Bushin**_ and Sakura reading a physics book. He locked the door and looked around the room. He saw the curtains closed and the light on at minimum power. "All right, listen up. We'll rest today because of the journey here. Tomorrow, we'll go and find some _**Futon**_ for you. Here, dinner's ready."

Naruto and Sakura nodded as they stood up and grabbed their respective bowls of food. Naruto couldn't help but grin when he laid eyes on his dinner. "Have I ever told you that I love you, Itachi-sensei?" Naruto asked as he dove into his food. "No, and I don't want to hear it." Itachi mumbled, eating his own dinner. Sakura rolled her eyes at Naruto's manners as she ate hers at a fair pace. "Sensei, can we go look around the village when night falls? We've never been in Suna." Naruto asked after finishing his bowl. "Sure but I'm going with you. I don't want a repeat of happened last time." Itachi answered with a glare sent his way.

Naruto nodded and went to his bed, laying down to look at the ceiling. Itachi finished his bowl next and laid down on the other bed, taking out his katana and kunai to sharpen it. Sakura finished and laid down by Naruto, continuing to read her book. Naruto sometimes glanced at the pages and writing but then went back to thinking about what he'll do when he learned the Fuiton jutsus.

_Nightfall_

Sakura nudged Naruto's side to wake him up. He opened his eyes and yawned, sitting up. "Come on, we're leaving." Sakura told him as she stood up and grabbed her cloak. Naruto shook his head to get the sleep out of his brain and stood up, putting on his boots and cloak. Itachi was waiting for them at the door. He transformed into a sandy blond man with dark eyes and told them to follow him. They went out of the Inn and started walking around, looking at the place. They stopped when they realized that a boy a little younger than the two was standing in a front door. Naruto got curious and, before Sakura or Itachi could stop him, got closer to listen into the conversation.

"I'm very sorry for what I did earlier. Here, this might help." The boy had wild red hair. His eyes were green but a lot lighter than Sakura's. He was offering the boy behind the door a small bottle. The boy behind the door snarled. "Leave me alone, _**Bakemono**_." The door slammed in the boy's face. His eyes fell to the ground as did the ointment. He turned around to walk away. The scene seemed familiar to Naruto so it touched a string in the blonde's heart. Naruto was about to talk to him but Itachi held him back. Putting a finger to his mouth, Itachi started following the boy. Naruto and Sakura followed after their Sensei, knowing he was onto something.

They followed the boy onto the top of the tallest building in the village. The boy was looking at his hands. _'Why? Why does everyone treat me this way? What am I? Why do they hate me so much?'_ He thought as tears started to form at the corner of his eyes. Naruto was about to step out to help but Itachi grabbed his shoulder. Naruto was about to yell at him when Itachi pointed towards the little boy. Naruto looked, his eyes getting wide.

A Suna Shinobi guided about ten kunai up into the air and towards the boy's back. A wall of sand came up behind the boy, surprising everyone present. The boy stood up and turned around, shocked to see the Shinobi there. His eyes narrowed as sand shot out to grab the ninja. The sand surrounded the ninja as the boy raised his hand and stretched it in front of him, facing the trapped Shinobi. The boy closed his hand into a fist, the sand squeezing around the man until the boy let his hand fall to his side. The sand let go of the man, letting him fall down to the floor.

The boy's eyes widened in horror as he ran to the ninja's side. With shaky hands, he grabbed the cloth covering the ninja's face and pulled it, revealing his face. His eyes widened as he took a few steps back. "Yashamaru?" The boy stuttered, his whole body shaking with fear and insecurity. "Yes, Gaara, it's me." Yashamaru answered, coughing up a little bit of blood. "Why? Why'd you do this?" Gaara asked, grabbing his head. "The Kazekage ordered me to kill you. You're too dangerous," Yashamaru said, closing his eyes. "Father, he told you to do this? But you didn't have a choice, right? You had to do it; you didn't want to do it. Right?" Gaara asked, smiling a little. Yashamaru smiled, looking up at the stars. "No, I had a choice."

The confession fell on Gaara like a ton of bricks. He thought his heart stopped at that moment, causing it pain. He grabbed his chest, the pain gripping too much at him. "My sister died because she gave birth to you. I guess I still held a rage inside of my heart towards you. I despise you, Gaara. I despise you because you killed my sister. She brought you into this world to damn the people of this village by the Shukaku spirit you have inside of you. She named you Gaara because it means 'monster that will never be loved, nor will it ever love anyone'. She wants everyone to pay for what they did to her." Yashamaru said while unbuttoning the vest he was wearing. Gaara stood still, absorbing everything in. His eyes narrowed on his uncle when he opened his vest. Sakura was the first one to see the paper bombs and pulled both Itachi and Naruto to the ground with her on top of them. "Now, let's go see her." Yashamaru uttered his last words as the paper bombs caught on fire.

The explosion would've woken up the ninja of the village but everyone knew that the Kazekage was getting rid of Gaara tonight. When the smoke cleared, Gaara was standing there, unharmed. A wall of sand was covering half of him while he glared at the place where his uncle used to lay. The sand dropped to the ground as Gaara panted away his anger and sorrow. Tears were running down his eyes. Suddenly, the sand shot up and started hitting Gaara in the forehead. The three watched as the sand hit his forehead until it stopped. When it did stop, Gaara had blood running down his forehead. The sand dropped to the ground again, as if nothing happened.

That's when Itachi finally let go of Naruto. The blonde came running out from their hiding spot, stopping right in front of the traumatized boy. Gaara looked at him with narrowed eyes. Naruto looked down, a frown adorning his face. Sakura soon came out with Itachi, looking at the red head. Gaara looked at each of them carefully; as if afraid they were going to hurt him, too. Naruto looked up then offered his hand, smirking. "Uzumaki Naruto,"

Sakura placed a hand over his afterwards. "Haruno Sakura," She smirked, too, something Gaara would remember for the rest of his life. "Uchiha Itachi," Itachi introduced, putting his hands on either of their shoulders. Gaara looked at their hands then at their faces. Itachi's was impassive but the kids seemed pleased. Grasping Naruto's hand and placing his thumb on Sakura's, Gaara introduced himself. "Sabaku no Gaara,"

"Come on, let's get out of here." Naruto said, letting go of his hand and turning around, walking away with Itachi and Sakura. Gaara watched them leave, his hand still in the air. He thought they were about to leave when Sakura looked over her shoulder and called him. "Are you coming?" She asked as the boys turned to him. Gaara looked at the place where his uncle used to be then back at them. He took slow steps at first but then went into a quick pace when the kids grinned at him.

_Konohagakure Ninja Gakko_

Haiiro sighed as he exited the building with Amaya on tow. He had just learned that Amaya's grades were one of the worst in the class. Amaya was already one year behind because she didn't pass last year. Last year, she said that the teacher wasn't very good. Now she claims that the thing distracting her is her sitting partner. He had just finished talking to her teacher. She had said that Amaya was only interested in a boy in her class and would always space out looking at him.

Haiiro scowled, he wouldn't have any of that. It was embarrassing enough that she flunked once; she wasn't going to go down again. When they got home, Haiiro was going to start teaching Amaya himself. He didn't care if it went against the rules; he was going to teach Amaya to be a leader, to be just like him.

An Anbu landed by them, stopping them in their tracks. "Haruno Haiiro, Hokage-sama wishes to speak with you privately." The Anbu said, bowing his head in respect. Haiiro nodded and the Anbu disappeared. "Go home and tell your mother I'll be late for dinner." Haiiro told Amaya then headed off to the Hokage Tower.

After being invited in, Haiiro stood in front of the Hokage. "My Anbu spotted Itachi in a town outside of the Hi no Kuni border last week. He was alone, no kids with him. I would send a tracker team after him but I'm wary. He killed his entire clan in just a few hours. If I send ninja out when he has no children with him, it can become a problem." Hiruzen explained, getting right to the point. "I understand, Hokage-sama. However, you mustn't worry about finding Sakura anymore. We have a new daughter, someone who is going to replace that girl. I'm not interested in Sakura anymore." Haiiro said, turning around to leave. "You might not care about her well-being but I do. She's a Konoha citizen. I just hope she's still alive and with Itachi, instead of just starving and having to beg for food." Hiruzen replied, getting tired of the man's attitude.

"That's good for you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a family to tend to." Haiiro opened the door but not before hearing Sarutobi's last words. "I guess my suspicions were right. Sakura didn't get kidnapped but rather left because of your treatment towards her." Sarutobi muttered, glaring at Haiiro's back as the man ignored him and left. The Hokage clicked his tongue against his teeth as he looked out of the window. _'Itachi…What have you gotten yourself into now?'_

As Haiiro entered the clan residence, his younger brother in-law approached him. He had dark brown hair and sky blue eyes. "Hey, _**Nii-san**_, how are Amaya's grades?" He asked as they both resumed their walk to Haiiro's house. "It's not good, Sho. Amaya has one of the worst grades in the whole academy." Haiiro muttered, shaking his head. "Especially now that she has her eyes on Uchiha Sasuke."

"That's good. I mean, she's already looking for a future husband. Wouldn't you want your kid's kids to have the Sharingan _and_ be _**Genjutsu**_masters?" Sho asked, raising his brow at his sister's husband. "No because if Amaya gets married with Sasuke, then she'll belong to the Uchiha clan. She won't be leading the Haruno clan and that leaves Hitomi to take charge. And she's only three months old." Haiiro said, heaving a large sigh.

"What about Sakura? What if the Hokage finds her? Surely, you haven't forgotten about her." Sho asked as they stopped in front of Haiiro's house. "Of course I haven't forgotten her. That traitor owes me and I plan on getting her back. If she wasn't treated badly enough, I'll make sure everyone absolutely despises her when she gets back." Haiiro scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. Sho frowned then sighed. "Listen, if Amaya is having trouble concentrating in class send her over. I'll help her study. I'll see you around." Sho waved then started walking away. Haiiro nodded and opened the door to his house. He plopped down on the couch and leaned back, running a hand through his hair.

"What's wrong, honey?" Keiko asked as she came out of the kitchen with a baby in her arms. The baby girl had brown hair and green eyes like Sakura. She was wrapped around in a blue blanket as Keiko fed her. "Sho just offered to teach Amaya outside of school." Haiiro told her, hiding what was really bothering him. "That's great. Sho's the best teacher the Haruno clan has to offer. You should take on his offer." Keiko supported, walking back into the kitchen.

"Yes, I should."

_Amegakure…..A Week Later_

Pein looked over the new team. Gaara shifted under the man's stare but Naruto and Sakura stood at ready. "I see," Pein glanced up at Itachi. They had told him everything that had happened in Sunagakure. After getting Gaara, they had gone to the Inn and packed up everything. In the morning, Itachi had bought a cart and some items to be able to put Gaara in there. They had left the same way they had gone in, the exception of the cart. Now they were here to report back to Pein.

"Did you get any jutsu at all, Itachi?" Pein asked looking back up at the fourteen-year-old. "Hai, I sneaked into some training grounds and copied a few jutsu." Itachi explained with a nod. He saw Naruto and Sakura beam out of the corner of his eye. Pein looked back at Gaara and turned around, locking his hands behind his back. "Fine, I will let Gaara stay. You two, show your new teammate around the village. Itachi, you're staying. You're dismissed." The kids left and Pein turned to a corner of the room. "Konan, watch over them." Pein ordered as a woman with blue short hair came out of the shadows. Konan bowed then disappeared in a swirl of paper.

"Itachi, I want them in shape now. They're a Three-Man Squad now; I want them to start taking missions soon." Pein said turning back to the teenager. "Hai, Pein-sama, I tested Gaara's skills on our way here; he can control sand at his will and has a shell of sand protecting his body at all times. His only weaknesses are emotional pain and water." Itachi explained as he closed his eyes. He would have Naruto and Gaara spar only using _**Suiton**_ and _**Doton**_. However, Gaara only uses sand, not earth and Naruto only knows about one _**Suiton**_ jutsu but hasn't gotten the hang of it yet. There are multiple of combinations with the kids' chakra natures, combinations that could catch the opponents off guard.

"Work with him on those weaknesses. When you think they're ready, bring them here. Dismissed." Pein disappeared, leaving Itachi to his thoughts. He left the office and to his house. When he entered, he found Sakura talking with Konan in her room. They turned to him when he knocked on the open door. "Where are Naruto and Gaara?" He asked as Konan pointed into Naruto's room. Itachi knocked on Naruto's door then opened it. He found Gaara and Naruto talking on his bed. They looked at him as soon as they heard the door open. "Naruto, you don't mind sharing a bed with Gaara tonight, right?" Itachi asked after they sent him questioning looks.

"No, don't worry. Itachi-sensei, what did Kami-sama wanted this time?" Naruto asked as he stood up. Itachi called for Sakura. As soon as she was standing by the boys, Itachi spoke. "Pein-sama wants me to train you guys harder so you can become Genin faster. He said that now that you have a Three-Man Squad, you can go on missions. However, that'll only happen when you become Genin."

"Let's start training, then." Naruto said grinning at Itachi. "I'm afraid not now. You see, we need to travel to Konoha." Itachi announced, awaiting their answers. Sakura's stare hardened while Naruto clenched his teeth. "Why would we go back to that rotten place?" Sakura asked her voice colder than ice as she glared at Itachi. Konan watched them, slightly amused at their actions. To think two kids would hate their homes so much that at the mention of it they'd go from excited to cold-hearted in less than a second. Gaara frowned at their reaction, wondering what was so bad that had them change their attitude so fast. Though the more he thought about it, the more he questioned. Why were they with an S-rank Nukenin? And why did they treat him like an older brother instead of a criminal?

Then his eyes softened. Itachi had saved him from the hell he was living in Suna. He had offered him a home along with his friendship. He cared about them, even if he didn't show it. That's why Gaara was grateful and would do anything to make Itachi happy. He had saved him from his father; maybe he had done something similar with Naruto and Sakura. Gaara looked at them, carefully watching their reactions.

"The weapon shop there has the best weapons in all of Hi no Kuni. The three of you are Futon users. They have specific weaponry for you because of your nature. We're going to stock up there then we'll come back to a year worth of training and missions. Got it?" Itachi explained, his eyes narrowing on their reactions. Sakura still glared at him and Naruto's feature had changed. The marks on his face were thicker and four fangs were visible under his closed lips. He had his hands in his pockets so they weren't visible. There was a tint of red in his eyes as the pupil changed to a slit.

"No." Naruto spoke, his voice raspy and deep. "Got it?" Itachi asked again, this time as a demand. He activated his Sharingan, his eyes turning red with three commas surrounding the pupil. Sakura exhaled through her nose as she nodded slowly. Her fists clenched as she answered for all of them. "Hai, we got it, Itachi-sensei." Her voice hinted rage and hatred as the words were forced out of her mouth. "Good, now get to bed. We're leaving first thing in the morning." Itachi turned around and left the room. Naruto stared at the floor before turning around and jumping out of the window of his room. Sakura lowered her head to the ground before following Naruto's example.

Gaara watched them leave, confusion gripping onto his every thought. "Konan-san?" He asked turning to the woman. She nodded in acknowledgement. "Why do they hate Konoha so much?" Gaara asked sitting down on the bed. Konan looked at the window as it started raining. She looked for the right words to explain to him then she remembered that he went through the same thing they had gone through over a year ago.

"Like you, Naruto and Sakura were mistreated in Konoha. The villagers in Konoha treated Naruto the same way the villagers in Suna treated you. He's a Jinchuuriki, just like you. He has the Kyuubi no Yoko sealed inside of him and because of that, people hated him. The kids in Konoha didn't know because it was forbidden talking about it but that didn't stop parents from telling their kids not to be around him. Naruto himself didn't know. He was alone, no parents, no friends, and no family. He began playing pranks on the people but that only made them hate him even more."

"Now, Sakura has a different story. She has a family, she has parents and she has siblings. She was part of one of Konohagakure's strongest clans. However, the Haruno clan had problems in choosing a leader in older times, before the Five Great Countries existed. They chose the first born because he would have more experience in battle and strategies while the second one was chosen to be its replacement if something were to happen to their leader. Once in history, when Konoha was founded, the Haruno clan had a small problem. The second born was stronger and way more experienced than the first born, thus leading him to become the next leader after their father died or retired. The clan didn't like that and somehow got rid of the second born and the parents gave birth to a third child. From that moment on, the second or third born were to be of servants to the first. They weren't allowed to go to the Ninja Gakko. Since then, the clan has despised the second child. Unfortunately, Sakura was born second to her older sister. She got tired of their bad treatment towards her and fled with Naruto. Itachi found out about their plans and helped them escape, making it look like he kidnapped them. They've been here for a year now and Itachi has been helping them train. For what reason, they won't tell anybody but they're determined and Pein-sama respects them for that."

"You mean he does like them?" Gaara asked doubting her last words. Earlier, he looked as if he thought they were pests. "Yes. He holds great respect for them, now for you. If it weren't for you and Naruto, your villages would probably be just ashes right now. You've been keeping people safe from the Shukaku your entire life while Naruto had stopped the destruction the Kyuubi could have made when he was born. He specially holds respect for Sakura because she accepted you and Naruto for yourselves, not the monster, without even flinching. Villagers fail to see that you two are heroes and they also failed to see that the three of you were born to be legends. You weren't given this power to misuse it but rather to help. Naruto and Sakura have accepted their paths and plan on taking revenge on their village."

Gaara thought about it for a while. He looked at the window then at his hands. He looked up at Konan's smirk. She nodded her head at the window. Nodding at her and thanking her for the information, Gaara jumped out of the window. As he looked around for Naruto and Sakura under the heavy rain, he finally got the meaning behind Konan's words and the feelings of his two new teammates. He doubled his resolve as he increased his speed and search.

He found them on the roof of the tallest building in Amegakure. As he walked towards them, he couldn't help but feel relaxed as the two welcomed him at their side. When he reached them, he stood on Sakura's left with his arms crossed. Sakura was sitting on the edge on Naruto's left with one leg over the edge and the other bent by her side. She was resting her left arm on her bent knee as she looked over the muddy and wet village. Naruto was crouching down on Sakura's right. He was using the balls of his feet to support himself. He used his knees to rest his stretched out arms. Their hair clung to their faces and necks as they looked down on Amegakure. Pein and Konan watched from behind them as they uttered nothing but just relaxed on the roof under the late evening rain. Konan smirked their way as she thought back to what she just explained to Gaara. _'They're definite legends.'_

_Konohagakure Local Park….Two Days Later_

Amaya walked at a slow pace from the academy to her house. She wore a red short-sleeve shirt with a white skirt that reached right above her knees. Blue ninja sandals and a white hair clip holding her left bang completed her look. The Haruno clan symbol was embedded on the back of her shirt, reminding everyone who she was. It was a white circle surrounded by the red of her shirt. She had her chin up high and walked with the grace of a model. Too bad she wasn't one but rather a ninja in-training.

Amaya let her façade drop as she sighed, a frown overtaking her face. _'How am I ever going to get Sasuke-__**kun**__ to notice me? He never looks my way.'_ She thought as she stopped to think about it. She was in the middle of thinking up a plan to get the Uchiha prodigy to notice her when a girl a year younger than her approached her. She had short blonde hair and sky blue eyes. She wore a light purple shirt with bright yellow pants. A purple hair clip kept her right bang in place.

"Hey there, _**Hime**_, got lost on your way home?" The blonde teased, smirking when Amaya glared at her. "Not now, Oni, I'm busy." Amaya told her, getting back to her thinking pose. "Who are you calling ogre, Flunky?" The blonde shot back, something she knew would rile the Haruno up. "Listen, Ino, if you don't leave this instant, I'm going to…" Amaya trailed off as she felt a chill run down her spine. She looked over her shoulder to make sure nobody was watching them. She turned back to Ino with a frown. "Did you feel that?" She asked, confusing the blonde. "Feel what…" A chill ran down Ino's back as she trailed off. They looked at each other then started searching for what caused the chills.

In the trees, Sakura, Naruto and Gaara smirked as the boys released a massive amount of killer instinct towards the two girls. After getting three more chills, the two girls left running to tell their parents. Sakura chuckled as she watched her sister run away. "Come on, they'll find us if we stay here." She told them as she put on a Henge and jumped out of the tree. The boys followed her example and followed her to the main street, where most of the markets and stands were at.

Naruto's stomach rumbled, stopping all of them in their tracks. "Guess its lunch time." Naruto mumbled, rubbing his stomach. He looked around, frowning when he saw every place full of customers. "Let's go look somewhere else." Gaara offered, sensing their discomfort at being around so many people that hated their guts. Nodding, the trio kept walking until they found a ramen stand only half full. Naruto grinned as he started walking towards it. "While traveling with us, you're going to encounter many quirks and mishaps about us…." Sakura said as Gaara and she lagged behind. "Naruto's undying love for ramen is one of them." She finished as she glanced at her partner. "Just like yours with dango?" Gaara asked turning to her. Sakura glared at the back of Naruto's head as he entered the stand. "Today, the _**Baka**_ finally dies." Gaara rolled his eyes as they followed Naruto into the stand. When they went through the drapes, Sakura wasn't surprised when she saw Naruto already ordering. They sat down by him as the old man behind the counter took their orders.

The family by them finished their food, paid then left. A few minutes later, Haiiro, Ino, Amaya and an older man came into the stand. "You're kidding me," Sakura muttered rubbing her temples. The man looked a lot like Ino except he had long hair in a high ponytail. "There are no such things as ghosts, Ino." The man said as they sat down on the stools. "But _**Tou-san**_, we felt it. It suddenly got cold but it was still warm. You should've been there to feel it." Ino whined as they sat down on the stools. "Inoichi is right, girls. Ghosts don't exist. Drop it." Haiiro muttered, the subject boring him to the core. Amaya crossed her arms then looked away. Finally noticing where she was, she turned to her father. "Why are we here? I hate ramen." Amaya asked with a glare.

"Your mother wants ramen tonight. If you don't like it, why don't you go buy something else?" Haiiro answered looking away from her. Amaya scoffed, grabbed Ino's arm and left the stand. Sakura relaxed her shoulders as soon as her sister left but tensed up when she remembered her father being there. "Any news on Sakura?" Inoichi asked after ordering. "Anbu spotted Itachi in a village inside Hi nu Kuni. She wasn't with him neither was that Jinchuuriki."

"The Hokage didn't send anyone after him?" Inoichi asked with a frown. He had met Sakura before; she had seemed like a nice girl. He had even tried to convince Haiiro to drop the servant treatment but Haiiro rejected that thought. "No. I told him not to send anyone. I don't need Sakura anymore, I have Hitomi now." Haiiro answered shaking his head. Sakura's eyes widened and her heart stopped. He replaced her? This cannot be good. They'll only treat the girl worse than they ever treated her.

"Hitomi is three months old and Amaya is eight. Are you sure she'll be old enough to help Amaya when she graduates the academy?" Inoichi asked as their dinner was placed in front of them. "She'll be fine. No worries." Haiiro muttered as he paid for the food then left with Inoichi. Pushing his half empty bowl away, Naruto leaned back. "I lost my appetite." Gaara nodded in agreement, placing his chopsticks by the bowl. Sakura leaned her elbows on the counter, putting her face in her hands. Naruto ordered a few bowls to go and paid. They walked out of the ramen stand with Sakura hanging her head.

She suddenly sprinted as if her life depended on it. "Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled as they started running after her. To the villagers, they looked like blurs as they ran across the market street and onto the clans' residence. Sakura went into the one with the walls red and white circles adorning it. Naruto and Gaara ran after her, Gaara lagging behind by a few feet. Sakura stopped in front of a house and jumped into the tree by it. The boys followed her example as they landed on the tree branch by her.

They looked into the window as Keiko fed Hitomi. Sakura looked around the nursery as she realized they had kept some of her stuff. Her eyes landed on her mother again as Keiko put down the bottle and put Hitomi on her shoulder, patting her back gently afterwards. Her heart tightened as she thought about how the clan was going to treat her when she became old enough to walk.

Getting fed up with the emotions gripping at her chest, Sakura undid the Henge and jumped onto the balcony when her mother had her back to her. She opened the glass doors slightly, glad that it was unlocked. In the tree, Naruto and Gaara gave her signals to drop out and come back into the tree. Shaking her head, she made eye contact with each of them. They stopped moving as their eyes softened. They understood what she was doing. They decided to help as they undid the jutsu, too, and jumped down to her side. Sakura silently opened the door even more and stepped into the room.

"_**Kaa-san**_…" Keiko's eyes widened as she turned around. "Sakura?" Keiko screamed in shock and excitement. Sakura put a finger to her lips, indicating her to be quiet. Keiko nodded as she kept patting Hitomi on the back. "I didn't come here to stay. I'm leaving the village again tomorrow. I'm just here to run some errands. But I'm here because I ran into _**Tou**_-_**san**_ at the ramen stand. He didn't know it was me, I was in a Henge. Anyway, I heard him talking to Inoichi about Hitomi and I wanted to see for myself if I really had a little sister." Sakura explained as she entered the room completely. Naruto and Gaara went in after her, standing at each of her sides. Keiko nodded as tears filled her eyes.

"_**Kaa**_-_**san**_, I want to ask you for a favour. Can you make sure the clan doesn't treat her the same way they treated me?" Sakura asked, frowning when Keiko looked at the ground. "Please, I don't want her to go through the hell I did. I want her to be happy, I don't want her to follow in no one's footsteps but rather make her own. I know it's a lot to ask of because of the 'tradition' of the clan but please, _**Kaa**_-_**san**_, help me out here. Encourage her when she needs it, give her a shoulder to cry on whenever she's down, and help her out if she wants to become a ninja. Please, it'll be the only thing I'll ask of you. I can't look after her because I'm literally considered as dead and who knows what punishment I'll get if they catch me. Please, Kaa-san, I don't want her living the life I did, she deserves better."

Tears ran down Keiko's eyes as she nodded her head, making Sakura smile a little. Keiko slowly put Hitomi in her crib then walked over to Sakura, kneeling down and wrapping her arms around the girl. Sakura tensed, feeling very uncomfortable about the hug. Her mother had never hugged her, or at least she doesn't remember Keiko ever hugging her.

Keiko pulled back as she wiped the tears from her eyes, a smile on her face. "I'm just glad you're okay." She said as her smile grew. Sakura nodded as she walked over to the crib. She looked in, grinning when Hitomi looked at her. Sakura reached in and ran a hand over Hitomi's head, making the baby giggle. Naruto smiled at the giggle and walked over to the crib, looking inside. Sakura waved Gaara to go over so he did and looked into the crib. Keiko smiled as the kids grinned at the baby girl. _'Who knew you'd grow up to be this amazing, Sakura?'_ Keiko thought as she finished wiping her tears away.

"Our kids are going to be as beautiful as this one." Naruto said looking at Sakura. Keiko's eyes widened at those words. "_**Baka**_, who said I would ever marry you?" Sakura asked slapping his chest playfully. "Sensei did," Naruto answered, looking back at the baby. Sakura rolled her eyes as she turned to her mother. "Don't tell _**Tou**_-_**san**_ I was here. You're the only one that can know. I'll confront him when the time comes."

Naruto's head suddenly perked up. He face twisted into a snarl as he looked out the window. "They're here." He turned to mother and daughter. "We need to get out of here, Sakura-chan." Naruto said as his pupils became slits and fangs appeared. Sakura nodded at him and he and Gaara went to look out the balcony. Sakura looked at her mother then walked over to Hitomi. _'I'll come back for you, don't worry.'_ She then looked at her mother again, nodded and smirked. Turning around, she ran over to the edge of the balcony and jumped into the tree with Naruto and Gaara. At that moment, the door to the nursery opened to reveal Haiiro.

"Keiko, food's here." Haiiro was about to turn around and walk away when he noticed tears running down her cheeks. "What's wrong?" he asked walking over to her. "Huh? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking." Keiko snapped out of her daydream as she looked at her husband. "Thinking about Sakura again, huh? Forget her; she's nothing but a nuisance." Haiiro told her harshly as he walked out of the room. "You're wrong. She's amazing, even better than Amaya will ever be." Keiko whispered to herself as she walked out of the room.

_Two Hours Later_

Naruto, Gaara and Sakura stood in front of Itachi at ready. He had come back from shopping and told them to stand in front of him. He took out three packages. He gave each of them one and told them to unpack them. When they did, Naruto and Sakura grinned at him as they held their own katana. Gaara stared questioningly at the medium sized pouch covering both of his hands.

"Those represent your elements. I was thinking that maybe having all of you master your first element rather than having you just learning _**Futon**_ would be better. Naruto, Sakura, those katana are special. You focus your chakra in it and it becomes stronger. You can make your own jutsu with those katana. You won't start training with them now; you're going to wait until we get back to Ame so I could teach you _**Kenjutsu**_. After you learn _**Kenjutsu**_, you will focus on learning precise chakra control. Then and only then will I start teaching you how to use these. Gaara, I got you a traveling pack. However, this is a special pack. It has a special _**Fuinjutsu**_ that allows you to store anything without it ever growing size or weighing more than it already does. I was thinking about you channelling chakra into the sand in that bag and making it stronger and faster. If it does work, you'll be able to store as much sand as you want in there and surprise foes with it."

The kids nodded then looked at their perspective weapons. They put them away and proceeded to get to bed as Itachi left the room to watch out for any ninja. After all, they were in Konoha; people were probably on the lookout after the massacre only a year ago. However, Sakura wasn't able to sleep as she thought about Hitomi the whole time. Naruto could sense her discomfort and went over to lay down with her. Gaara could never sleep because of the Shukaku so he joined them on the bed. They stayed there until Naruto and Sakura fell asleep with Naruto leaning against Sakura and her leaning against the still awake Gaara. Gaara placed a blanket over all of them as he leaned back slowly against the headboard, enjoying the way the position finally made him feel like home.

_(A/N: The time skip will be next chapter. It's small but here's the Glossary for this chapter:_

_**Baka- Idiot  
>Bakemono- Monster<br>Bushin- Clone  
>Doton- Earth Style<br>Fuinjutsu- Sealing Techniques  
>Futon- Wind Style<br>Genjutsu- Illusion techniques  
>Hime- Princess<br>Kaa-san- Mom, mother  
>Kage Bushin no Jutsu- Shadow Clone Jutsu<br>Katana- Small Sword  
>Katon- Fire Style<br>Kenjutsu- **__Mastery or use of a katana__**  
>-Kun- <strong>__Honorific for males when in friendly terms__**  
>Nii-san (Older Brother)-<strong>__ Can be used alone or after name.__**  
>-San<strong>__- Form of showing respect towards others. __**  
>Suiton- Water Style<br>Tou-san- Dad, father**_

_Thanks again for reading and I'll update next weekend. Thanks,_

_7__th__ Creature_


	3. Job

_Haruno Clan Residence…Six Years Later_

Amaya walked to her house with a grin plastered on her face. Her father would be so proud to hear that she was going on a C-Ranked mission when she only just got out of the Ninja Gakko two weeks ago. With the mission also came her first time out of the village. Even better, Ino would totally flip when she finds out that she went out of the village for a few days alone with Sasuke-kun. Sure, there was their client, their other teammate and sensei but that didn't matter to Amaya.

Amaya entered her house and her grin faltered. Keiko was reading to her younger sister. Hitomi's hair had grown and over the years, they all realized she had the same hair style that Sakura used to have. Her eyes were still that emerald green that captivated Keiko and sometimes Amaya. Haiiro didn't like the fact that she looked too much like Sakura and that Keiko seemed to like her more than Amaya.

Both females looked at Amaya when the door closed. "Hello, Nee-chan." Hitomi was the first to greet her. Amaya waved her off as she sat down by her mother. "Hey, Sweetie. How were the missions?" Keiko asked, marking the page of the book then shutting it. "They were boring as always. But guess what, we got assigned a C-Rank mission. Isn't that great? That just means that I'm on my way to becoming our clan's leader." Amaya announced with a grin. "That's great, honey. I'm proud of you." And Keiko was. It was just that she still thought as Sakura being better than Amaya. She still held onto that moment they had six years ago. "I'm proud," Keiko whispered as she watched Amaya walk up to her room.

"Kaa-san, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Hitomi asked standing up from the floor and sitting down by her mother. Keiko wiped her tears away before smiling at her daughter. "Nothing, Hitomi-chan. I'm just happy for your sister. Come on, let's go make dinner." Keiko offered as she stood up. Hitomi nodded her head and followed her mother into the kitchen. However, she wasn't convinced by that smile of hers. She knew something was wrong but she wasn't going to butt in. It wasn't her place to.

_Kitsune, Ryuu, Tanuki…That Night_

Lightning crashed above Nami no Kuni as a deadly deal was made. Three figures in black cloaks exited a building deep in the forest of Nami no Kuni. The plan was simple, watch over the _**Oni Kyodai**_ as they kill the bridge builder and his charges. If the _**Oni Kyodai**_ are defeated, retreat and meet up with Momochi Zabuza and his partner Haku. There, they are to get into place and kill the bridge builder.

The three figures walked to a nearby campsite, where they had set up camp a few hours ago. As they neared the fire, masks were visible on their faces. One had a Tanuki in brown and maroon at the bottom of the mask. The other had a red and black dragon imprint at the top of the mask with its tail going around the left eye hole. The last one had an orange and black fox with nine tails, two of those tails wrapping around both eye holes.

"Gato is up to something. No one can be that rich with only one shipping company." The one with the Tanuki mask said as they arrived at the camp. His voice was deep, something most boys acquired when they become men. "You're right, Tanuki. Something's up and we're going to find out." The one with the dragon mask said as they put out the fire. Judging by the timbre of the voice, it was a girl. "How are we going to do that, Ryu? Gato is not going to talk and I doubt any of his 'assistants' know." The last one said crossing his arms. This one's voice was raspy but it wasn't any lighter than Tanuki's. Ryu seemed to nod then turned to face the horizon. "Don't worry, Kitsune, we'll find out tomorrow."

_Team Seven…..Next Morning_

Team Seven was heading towards Nami no Kuni with their client in formation. A boy with dark, almost navy hair in a weird style was in the front with another boy that had brown spiky hair. In the middle, Amaya was walking alongside the team's client. It was a bridge builder named Tazuna, who always seemed to have a sake bottle with him. At the back was the team's Jonin sensei. He had silver hair spiked up to the left and a mask covering the lower half of his face. His Hitaiate was tilted to the side, covering his left eye.

They walked in silence, occasionally hearing Tazuna take a swing full of sake. Amaya's eyes landed on her teammate's back. _'Sasuke-kun is so cool. I can't wait to tell him I love him and marry him. I'll make him all mine. Nothing can stand in the way of our relationship. Well, there's Ino and Kota.'_ Amaya looked at the boy by Sasuke. _'Kota just has a crush on me and I understand that. I mean, who wouldn't? But I'm not interested in him so that takes him out. Ino was placed in another team and Sasuke-kun is in mine, meaning I have a higher percentage of getting him. Also, I'm the heir of the Haruno clan, I'm in way better status than Ino and Sasuke-kun knows that. This means I'm the only one for him. However, because we're teammates, Kakashi-sensei might not let us be together. Oh my god, I cannot let that happen! I will triumph in winning Sasuke-kun's heart no matter what!'_

While Amaya was paying attention to things that will probably never happen, Kakashi was paying attention to a puddle they had just passed by. In the trees, Ryu, Kitsune and Tanuki were watching the scene. Ryu scoffed loudly, letting her teammates know that the _**Oni Kyodai**_ made a huge mistake.

Two figures came out of the puddle as one handed a glove to the other. A chain connected the gloves together as spikes came out at each end. They ran towards the team, wrapping the chains around Kakashi in the process. They pulled and Kakashi fell to the ground in pieces. The Genin's eyes widened as they watched their teacher fall right in front of their eyes. Sasuke was the first one to snap out of it and pinned one of the brothers down on the ground. Kota recovered and went to fight against the other brother using his Kenjutsu knowledge. Amaya shook her head to snap out of it as she stood in front of Tazuna with kunai in each of her hands. One of the brothers knocked Kota down and went after Amaya and Tazuna. Kota made to go after him but he relaxed when he saw Kakashi appear and stop the man. He knocked him out then turned around when Sasuke threw the other over his shoulder at him. Kakashi grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pinned him to a tree along with his brother. Kakashi tied them to a tree then turned to Tazuna.

"They're known as the _**Oni Kyodai**_, two Chunin who don't stop fighting until their opponent is down." Kakashi explained as he turned to them. "How did you know we were here?" The conscious one asked as he struggled to free himself. "A single puddle on a road where it hasn't rained in days? It was your first mistake."

"If you knew they were there, why didn't you take them out before they attacked me- I mean, you?" Tazuna asked, covering up for his mistake. However, everyone heard it and began to suspect. "I needed to see if they were after us ninja or after you." Kakashi simply said before turning to his team. "Good job, you three." Kota and Amaya grinned at him while Sasuke scoffed and looked away.

"What do you mean?" Tazuna asked as he looked between the team and Chunin. "They wanted to get rid of us to get to you. Do you mind explaining why?" Kakashi turned back to the bridge builder, who gulped. He soon sighed, giving up under the Jonin's stare. "You're right, they're after me. Gato hired them to assassinate me."

"Gato? Who's that?" Kota asked being the curious boy he is. "You've probably heard his name before. He owns one of the most successful shipping companies in the world. But that's just his cover up. He's secretly an illegal drug dealer and criminal. He robs people of their money by tricking them and when they find out, he sends bandits or Nukenin to do the dirty job for him. Recently, he's had his eyes on Nami no Kuni and decided he wanted to take over our country. He's taken up ownership or closed all of our shipping expresses. Our country is very poor at the moment. The only solution for us to be able to free ourselves from Gato is to build a bridge and I was entrusted with the job." Tazuna explained hanging his head. "He wants your head." Sasuke muttered as the other two Genin stood there, shocked. "Why didn't you hire a team of Jonin to help instead of us?" Kakashi asked, already knowing the answer but wanted the man to confirm it.

"As I told you, my country is very poor. I couldn't afford anything higher than this." Tazuna said as he looked at each and every one of their faces. "Kakashi-sensei, this mission is beyond our level. We shouldn't do this." Kota said looking up at his sensei. "You're right, Kota. We're not up to this mission. We should head back." Kakashi said, turning his body in the direction of Konoha.

"Fucking wimps," Kitsune mumbled from the trees as he watched the scene below. Ryu nudged him in the ribs but she couldn't agree more on his comment.

"What?" Sasuke and Amaya asked, turning to their sensei. "We can't leave. I will humiliate my father if the clan finds out I chickened out of a mission." Amaya said glaring at her sensei. "This is a chance to test my skills against real danger. I will not back out." Sasuke muttered with a glare and crossing of his arms. "Yeah and then my daughter will cry her eyes out and hate the Konoha ninja while my cute ten year old grandson will blame the village for leaving his grandfather alone to die." Tazuna jumped in, taking advantage of the situation. Everyone other than him sweat dropped, even the three in the trees. "Ass kisser," Kitsune commented, only to get another nudge on the ribs.

_'That was very unnecessary. Amaya and Sasuke had convinced me. I guess I have no choice.'_ Kakashi thought with a sigh. "Fine, we'll guard you safely to your house. Let's go." They started walking, Kakashi glancing over at the trees where the three are hiding behind. _'It won't be Chunin next time but rather higher ranked ninja. You better keep an eye out, you three.'_

_Nami no Kuni…Two Hours Later_

A man was waiting behind some trees for Team Seven to walk by. You could say that he was bored to the core. He sat on his _**Kubikiri Hocho**_ as he waited. _'Where in the hell are those brats? They were supposed to report back a while ago.'_ Just as he thought this, three figures appeared behind him. "Zabuza," Tanuki spoke, startling the Nukenin. "I hate it when you three do that," Zabuza muttered under his breath as he stood up to face them. "Reporting, _**Oni Kyodai**_ failed and the Konoha team are on their way here. They've taken a boat ride here, we're certain they'll come this way." Ryu reported as Zabuza grabbed his blade. "So they're strong enough to defeat those weaklings, huh? Good, I'll be having a good time. Do you know who is leading the team?" Zabuza asked looking in the direction the bridge was at.

"It is Konohagakure's _**Sharingan no Kakashi**_. He's with a team of Rookie Genin. We believe they are Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Amaya and Kamizuki Kota. The Uchiha is at level Genin on _**Taijutsu**_, we're not sure about _**Ninjutsu**_ or Genjutsu. He doesn't seem like he's obtained the Sharingan eye. The Haruno didn't show any particular skill. The Kamizuki is exceptional at _**Taijutsu**_ but he didn't show any other special abilities." Ryu informed standing by Zabuza. "Hatake Kakashi is strong; don't go overboard like last time. He even sensed us when we were hiding." She told him, placing her hands on her hips.

"Then again, we weren't even trying to conceal ourselves." Kitsune commented, receiving three nods. "This Haruno Amaya girl, she's not related to you, is she?" Zabuza asked looking down at Ryu. She turned her back on him as she walked over to her teammates. "We've also discovered that Gato is lying. He's a drug dealer, not a shipping company owner." She looked over her shoulder at Zabuza. He looked at her, unsure of what her reaction is due to the mask covering her face. "You know how we work and I know how you do your job. We won't help you but rather we're enemies now." She told him, turning her back again. "Of course, after all, you are the Akuma no Buntai." Zabuza turned his back on her, confident that they won't hurt him. After all, they've all been partners for about two years now and got along well. They were comrades, even if they didn't say it out loud.

Their moment was interrupted when Team Seven walked by with Tazuna. When they found the white rabbit, Zabuza turned to the team behind him. "Wish me luck," He threw his blade at the team. "'Luck," Tanuki muttered crossing his arms. Zabuza grinned at them under the bandages covering his mouth and jumped down, landing on his _**Kubikiri**_ _**Hocho**_.

"Momochi Zabuza, Nukenin of Kirigakure no Sato and former _**Kiri no Shinobigatana no Shichininshu**_, to believe you've stooped this low." Kakashi muttered as he grabbed his Hitaiate. "Formation S, guys. This guy is too dangerous for you to take on." Kakashi ordered his Genin team. _'Hmph, this is a waste of time.'_ Zabuza thought as he grabbed the tilt of his sword and disappeared. "_**Kirigakure no Jutsu,**_" Zabuza's voice echoed throughout the forest. Amaya, Kota and Sasuke formed a circle around Tazuna as they took out their weapons.

The team hiding behind the trees noticed that Sasuke and Amaya were panting, as if being choked. "They've never been in a real battle between Jonin. It's killing them," Tanuki announced as they watched the fight. They were paying attention to the fight, knowing that Zabuza wouldn't hurt them unless they stood in the way of killing them. "Should we help them?" Kitsune asked looking at Ryu. Tanuki looked at them, waiting for her reply. "Wait for it. We attack when Zabuza shows up." Ryu whispered to them as Zabuza began listing the vital spots in the human body. "And knowing Zabuza, he'll go for the fastest kill."

"The Genin," Kitsune muttered with a nod. "And the weakest point of that formation is…" Ryu trailed off, wanting them to answer that. "Middle," The males answered at the same time. No later than that, Zabuza appeared in the middle of the circle, right in front of Tazuna. "It's over," Zabuza muttered as he got ready to swing down on Amaya.

The sound of metal hitting metal was heard as the Genin and Tazuna were blown back by sand. Tanuki landed in front of Amaya with his arms crossed. Ryu and Kitsune were holding up Zabuza's sword with their own katana. "I was starting to think you guys had left," Zabuza countered as he pushed on his sword then swung at Kitsune's side. Ryu acted quickly as she blocked his hit with her katana. Kitsune then swung at Zabuza's side. Zabuza pushed on his sword again then leaned back to avoid Kitsune's hit. Kitsune crouched down and did a leg swipe, almost knocking Zabuza off his feet from the sheer speed they were using.

Zabuza flipped back but didn't have any time to breathe as a bunch of sand went flying towards him. Before he ducked, he saw Tanuki with one of his arms outstretched. "We're not missing a fight, not a good one." Kitsune answered as the katana he was using poofed off into none existence. Ryu held hers backwards as it poofed off, too. "Zabuza, you have one warning. Don't mess with the kids. Your fight now is with Kakashi, not them." Ryu said as Kitsune and she stood in front of Sasuke and Kota. Zabuza chuckled, holding his cleaver on his shoulder. "Good, I don't want any brats interrupting me." Zabuza answered, mocking them.

"Don't worry, they won't." Tanuki assured as the sand that had been after Zabuza went over to his side and stayed swirling around him. Team Seven was amazed at the new team and confused as to what was going on. Sasuke was the first one to his feet and began charging at Zabuza, determined not to let anyone else outdo him. The sand swirling around Tanuki shot out towards Sasuke, pinning him down before he even got close to Kitsune's back. "Stay," Tanuki ordered as he turned to Zabuza and nodded. Zabuza nodded his head at them before turning to Kakashi and into a fighting stance. Confused, Kakashi lifted his headband to reveal the Sharingan eye, a scar running down his eye. Sasuke saw it and gasped. Amaya seemed confused as to why Kakashi had it and Kota was simply lost.

"Nice but Itachi-sensei would still have an upper hand. He has the _**Mangekyou**_, _**Amaterasu**_ and _**Tsukyomi**_." Kitsune muttered, only Ryu and Tanuki hearing him. "Heh, finally, I get to have some fun. These kids are boring to play with," Zabuza chuckled, pointing behind him. "I really hope you're not talking about us," Kitsune said, crossing his arms. "Of course not, I would ever," Zabuza muttered, rolling his eyes. Everyone heard Kitsune growl and thought he was going to attack but he stayed standing in front of the still pinned Sasuke.

Soon after they begin fighting, Zabuza traps Kakashi in his _**Suiro no Jutsu**_. "Guess it's our turn," Kitsune mutters as he nodded at Ryu. "Tanuki, protect the brats and bridge builder. Kitsune and I are going to fight him." Ryu ordered and Tanuki nodded.

Their katana poofed in their hands again as they took in fighting stances. Ryu had her katana backwards while Kitsune was holding his normally. Zabuza made two _**Mizu Bushin**_ to fight them. Kitsune and Ryu ran at them at blinding speeds as Ryu raised her katana and slashed down on the _**Mizu Bushin's**_ shoulder, dispelling it into water. Kitsune slashed his katana upwards and cut the Bushin diagonally by the midsection. He jumped up to catch Zabuza in the air in case he jumped while Sakura kept running at him.

In the meantime, all everyone else could see, besides Kakashi because of the Sharingan, were blurs of black and two bursts of water. Kitsune was closer to Zabuza so he swung down on him. Zabuza grabbed his wrist and threw him over his shoulder. However, he wasn't fast enough to avoid Ryu's slash at the midsection. Kitsune landed on top of the water as Ryu ran over to his side. Zabuza had let go of the _**Suiro no Jutsu**_ and Kakashi had landed by them. Kitsune and Ryu poofed away their katana as they turned to Kakashi. "It's you fight again. We have no intention in fighting him, we want you guys to leave with Tazuna sooner rather than later." Ryu told him. "What do you mean?" Kakashi asked as he panted for air.

"We're friends with Zabuza, meaning we know each other's weaknesses and strengths. It'll take hours if we fight him seriously. Besides, you have hundreds if not thousands of jutsu in your arsenal. You'll be able to surprise him." Kitsune said as the two jumped over to the shore, where they protected Team Seven and the bridge builder. "So that's your final decision, huh? Fine," Zabuza turned to Kakashi and they started battling again.

This time, Kakashi won by making Zabuza think he was reading his mind. Before Kakashi could make the final move, however, two senbon embedded themselves in Zabuza's neck. Everyone looked towards the direction where the weapon came and saw a boy with a kimono and a mask. _'Are they together?'_ Kakashi thought as he glanced at the _**Oinin**_ then at the team of masked ninja. "Thank you for disabling Zabuza. I've been hunting him for quite a while, you see." The Oinin said as he disappeared then appeared by Zabuza's body. "I must take the body now. Thank you, Konoha ninja. It was also nice to see you again, Naruto-kun, Gaara-kun, Sakura-chan. I'll be taking my leave now."

"We'll see you later, Haku. Count on it." Ryu, or rather Sakura, said nodding at him. Haku nodded back at her as he took a hold of Zabuza's arm and disappeared with him. She turned to her teammates and nodded. They disappeared before anyone else could say anything. "That was very weird." Kota commented with a shake of head. Amaya stood staring at the place where Sakura used to be standing on. _'It can't be her. Sakura's dead, the Hokage himself said so.'_ Amaya shook her head with a sigh. _'I probably just misheard the name. Yeah, that's it. It was a mistake.'_

With that, the group left towards Zabuza's house.

_Kitsune, Ryuu, Tanuki…._

The three arrived at their campsite as soon as they left Team Seven. They took off their masks and cloaks. Over the past six years, the three have grown into full-fledged Shinobi. Gaara was the shortest but that was understandable because he was the youngest. His hair was the same, only a little longer as it covered most of his forehead. On the left side of his forehead was the kanji for 'Love', as that was the place where all the sand had hit him the night he was announced dead. Nothing much had changed about him but his attire was completely different to the garbs he had when he was younger. He wore a maroon jacket with black gloves and maroon ninja pants with black ninja sandals. He had a weapon belt, where two traveling packs were hanging from with two kunai pouches. An Amegakure Hitaiate was tied to his left upper arm.

Naruto had gone through a drastic change. His hair had grown out in all ways and bangs had started forming at the side of his face. His eyes were darker with a lighter shade around the pupil. His whisker-like marks were thicker, something he got from the Kyuubi as he had learned to control his _**Katagawa**_ _**no Jotai**_. He has an orange shirt with a fishnet with long sleeves that reached down to his elbows under. He wore black ninja pants and black ninja boots. He also wore black fingerless gloves. Tape strapped his ninja pants to his boots so they wouldn't flail while he was jumping from tree to tree. He had a weapon belt similar to Gaara's. However, he had four traveling packs and one kunai pouch. Another kunai pouch was strapped to his right thigh. A sheathed katana was strapped to his back. An Amegakure Hitaiate was tied around his forehead.

Sakura had also gone through some changes. Her pink hair was down to her middle back as an Amegakure Hitaiate held her bangs from her face. Her eyes had taken on a darker colour, however what caught almost everyone's attention was the fact that the shade around the pupil had taken a crystal blue colour. No one had any idea what had happened and neither does she but they weren't complaining. She had a red tank top with a long sleeve fishnet that reached to her wrists under. A black skirt covered her until her mid thighs and under the skirt was another pair of fishnet clothing that reached into her black shin length boots and to her ankles. Covering her hands was a pair of black gloves with fingers that covered her knuckles but weren't quite closed like Gaara's. She had a weapons belt, too. Like Naruto's, she had four traveling packs and one kunai pouch. Another shuriken and kunai pouch was strapped to her right thigh. A sheathed katana was strapped to her right hip.

They slowly began to make camp again, not lighting a fire in case any of Gato's thugs went after them. News of Zabuza's failure was sure to reach him in a few hours. And with that came their betrayal. However, they knew that neither Zabuza nor Haku were going to give them away, especially since the three could beat them, even if it would take hours of fighting. Sakura and Naruto had more tricks up their sleeves than all of the books themselves. And with Gaara's _**Zettai**_ _**Bogyo**_, they were sure to have more chances of winning than the two.

"What's the plan, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked as they sat down in the middle of their camp. "By now, Gato has to know of our betrayal. Zabuza will be immobile for the next week or so. Also, now knowing what kind of man Gato is, we can't risk trusting him. Because of our betrayal, he'll probably be thinking that we left with Tazuna and are protecting him at the moment. That's why I didn't want to leave with them. We have a chance of killing him, but also helping Zabuza and protecting the bridge builder." Sakura said as she looked at the two of them for their approval. She knew they were always going to be with her but she needed them to know that she will always take their opinions in consideration.

"Okay. What do you have in mind?" Gaara asked as he leaned back to support himself with his hands behind him. Naruto laid down, putting his hands behind his head as he looked at the sun but also paid attention to his teammates. Seeing their relaxed positions, Sakura leaned back, her backpack supporting her weight. "Go in, kill Gato and take his money. We'll go see Zabuza in the morning then go to the Konoha team to relieve them of their pressure. We'll leave to Ame after that." Sakura explained as she looked at the sky. Silence followed as the other two sunk in their plan. There were a few loopholes they found in the plan but they knew Sakura had them covered. However, it didn't hurt to know.

"What about the mission? Gato was the one who hired us, won't Pein-sama flip if he finds out we went against his orders?" Naruto asked looking at her. "The specific orders Pein-sama gave us was to gather money. If we kill Gato and recover at least half of his money, then we would've accomplished his orders. Besides, Amegakure knows how we work. They'll understand."

"What about the Konoha ninja? What if they ask us about what happened or who we are?" Gaara asked digging into one of his traveling packs. "We'll bring Gato's head if they don't believe us. As for our identities, they'll have to go to Hell and back if they want to know." Sakura muttered, glaring at the sky. "That's your sister, huh?" Naruto asked, catching up on why she hated the Konoha team so bad. They've ran into teams from Konohagakure and have had to make contact with them but Sakura had never foul-mouthed them behind their backs. Whatever she had to say, she would say it in front of them and she wouldn't care what they thought or said.

"Yeah," Sakura answered as she rubbed her temples. This mission is turning out to be more of a drag than anything else. Then again, this is nothing compared to some missions they've had to go on with Itachi or other Akatsuki members. Once, they've had to recruit a Nukenin from Iwagakure and it turned out that he wouldn't go with them so easily. They had to fight him _and_ three squads of Iwa Anbu to get to him. To top it off, there were two A-ranked ninja in those squads and the Nukenin alone was an S-rank. It was good that Itachi and another member were there, or else they would've been killed in minutes. That was two years ago, though, so they could understand their weak states. Naruto and Sakura were still eleven year olds while Gaara was ten. They were still being trained by Itachi.

Now, they trained on their own with an occasional helping hand from one of the members. They especially went to Kakuzu for Chakra Nature exercises. Basically, Akatsuki was their home now and they wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. They had also found out that Pein's beginning plan for Akatsuki was to get all nine Bijuu and use them to restore peace in the world. The three had found many loopholes in that plan and they had discussed them with him. Now that that plan was out of the way, they would occasionally meet up twice a month to come up with plans to restore peace and make everything fair in the world.

For now, however, everything was to go as normal: taking on missions, training and the occasional sparring sessions between Akatsuki Members.

In the Akatsuki, there were twelve members, including them. Each was divided into teams. There was the _**Tengoku no**_ _**Chimu**_ which consisted of Pein and Konan. They took care of Amegakure and didn't go out into missions unless it was absolutely necessary. There was the _**Fosuchimu ni Hantai**_, which were Itachi and Kisame. They were the strongest of the group, second to Konan and Pein. They usually did most of the dangerous missions or went out to hunt for some bounty. Then there was the _**Bauntifosuchimu**_, Hidan and Kakuzu's team. They usually went out for bounties on criminal's heads, trying to stop the criminals in the cities. Then there was the _**Geijutsu-Tekina Chimu**_, which consisted of Deidara and Sasori. Although no one has ever said anything along the lines, they were the weakest team in the group. They usually were sent to missions that had to do with long-range attacks or aerial scouting missions. Last but not least were them, _**Akuma no Buntai**_. Because they were Akatsuki's 'secret weapon', they wore masks and didn't wear their cloaks on missions. However, the masks are there because of the fact that they were announced dead one year after them running away, with the exception of Gaara, who was thought killed by his uncle Yashamaru the night he left with Itachi, Naruto and Sakura.

However, now that the Chunin exams were only two weeks away, the kids had decided to take a break until Gato had demanded their services. Pein had told them to get as much money out of this mission as possible for the upcoming expenses for the Chunin Exam. Now that they were here, they were going to get out of this mission the dirty way. Besides, it would be the best outcome. If Kakashi contacts Konoha and orders for a group of Jonin to come, they will get rid of Gato. And Gato isn't stupid enough to stick around when multiple Jonin are here. Although that means that Nami will be able to finish their bridge, it didn't mean that the danger was over. Gato could come back with a vengeance and decide to make best of the money Nami is earning. The kids won't have that. It would better to kill off all of Gato's hires, kill Gato himself, and give Tazuna some money to build the bridge and start off the trading routes then give Zabuza double the pay Gato had offered him. It left the kids with a huge amount of money for Ame, judging by how much Gato seemed to have. And the best of all is that no one would give a shit about what happens to Gato or his followers.

A rustling brought Sakura out of her thoughts. She glanced at Naruto and Gaara. Naruto was holding a Fuinjutsu paper near Gaara exposed neck. He slapped the paper down on his neck quickly, bit his thumb and drew a line of blood over the seal. Gaara blinked, having gotten used to the pain over the years. Gaara's eyes soon began to close as Naruto laid him down in his sleeping bag. Naruto put a blanket over him and fixed him up so he could sleep peacefully. The blonde sighed in relief as he looked over his younger brother.

Naruto then sat down by Sakura and wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer. "You care too much," Sakura mumbled laying her head down on his shoulder. "I have to look after you guys. You're my family," Naruto muttered laying his head on hers. Sakura reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, making him purr in ecstasy. They stayed liked that for a few minutes, the only sound being Naruto's purring. Sakura stopped, too soon for Naruto's liking, and stood up. "We need to get some rest. We'll let Bunshins as guards in case some of Gato's men come to look for us." Sakura ordered as Naruto stood up. He made a cross sign with his hands and muttered, "**Kage Bunshin no jutsu**." Five clones came to life as they all looked at the original and their leader. "Surround the perimeter of our camp. Wake us up after midnight. Go," Sakura ordered and the five clones disappeared to different directions.

With them in place, Naruto and Sakura went to sleep.

_After Midnight_

Sakura was woken up by one of Naruto's clones as it shook her shoulders. She looked at it with sleepy eyes before closing them and sighing. The clone shook her shoulders again, resulting in annoying her and her punching it square in the face. "Damn clone," she muttered, sitting up and rubbing her eyes when she heard a poof. She looked over the camp then stood up, kicking Naruto's back in the process. The blonde mumbled something indecent under his breath before turning to her, still sleeping. Sakura rolled her eyes before packing up her sleeping bag and looking around the camp. Gaara was still sleeping and she could feel the clones' chakra signatures not too far from here.

Sakura turned back to Naruto and kicked him in the ribs, receiving a string of curses and swears. To think that having few family figures would help him with his grammar and words. "Get up, Baka, we're leaving." Sakura said kicking his ribs again. Naruto groaned then sat up, rubbing his eyes. He looked around the camp before resting his eyes on Sakura. Sighing, he made a hand sign and muttered the word, "_**Kai**_." Gaara's breathing became laboured as his body tensed. He sat up quickly, panting as he looked around the place. His eyes softened when he looked at the worried stares of his teammates. Shaking his head, Gaara stood up and began cleaning up his stuff along with Naruto. In the meantime, the clones reported back to Sakura. When the two were done, Sakura gave them each an energy bar. They put on their cloaks and masks then nodded at each other.

They quickly filed out, moving in fast sprints as they set out to Gato's hideout. As they neared, adrenaline bumped into their bodies. They knew they would be making many kills tonight, one including a big man in the shipping world. However, they didn't worry about the man's status but rather how much money and blood they would have on their hands when this was all over. They would leave the bandits alone but knowing criminal minds, they knew the bandits were not going to stop until they are paid in one way or another. They might take advantage of Nami without protection and send out an already won war on the small island. If killing the bandits meant peace for these guys, then they'll do just that.

They neared the gates to the compound and hid under some bushes. "Now, we're going after Gato's head first. We already know what room he's in so we're going straight to that one. We'll kill everyone else as we come out." Sakura ordered as she looked out from behind the bush and to their destination. They understood her plan well. If they start out by killing everyone from outside to the inside, it might alert Gato and have him ready for them. However, if they go from inside to the outside, they have a bigger chance of not being detected and thus leading them to launch surprise attacks on a lot of bandits and guards.

"His room is the last one at the very end of the west wing. Once we're in and he's dead, I will take on the rest of the west wing, Gaara will take out the east wing and Naruto will take on the north wing. We'll meet at the south wing ten minutes after we start and get rid of everyone else there. Is everything clear?" Sakura explained looking at both of them. They nodded at her and got ready to sprint. Sakura laid her eyes on the gates as she crouched down. "Go," She muttered as she sprinted, the other two following her. They rounded up the gates to the left side and jumped over them, quickly disposing of the guards there silently. Gaara had thrown a kunai to one's throat while Naruto had stabbed one in the chest. They quickly ran up the wall silently, using chakra to stick to the stones.

Sakura opened a window and looked in, seeing three bandits guarding Gato's door. She took out three kunai and threw them at them. Two were fatal but she missed the last one's throat because he had moved. Cursing under her breath, Sakura jumped in and threw a shuriken at him. The shuriken hit the man's throat, making it a fatal hit. Sighing in relief, Sakura motioned for Naruto and Gaara to get in. They slowly opened the door to Gato's room. They stopped as soon as they laid eyes on the room layout. It seemed like a simple room, which was something good in case Gato needed to make a move quick. However, the only things that didn't make this room 'simple' were the stacks of money by Gato's bed and the ten safe boxes. Recovering from their shock, the three moved in silently towards his bed. Gaara pulled at the covers slowly as Naruto and Sakura readied their katana.

Gato giggled as he rolled over while Gaara kept pulling at the blankets. Sakura nodded at Naruto as she walked over to one of the multiple safe boxes in the room. She picked the lock on it and opened it, pulling out the wads of cash in the safe. She pulled out a sealing scroll from one of the traveling packs and unrolled it, quickly drawing a few seals. Gaara went over to pick out the rest of the locks as Sakura started putting the rest of the cash in her sealing scroll. When they were halfway through the fourth safe, Gato started stirring, something disrupting his sleep. Naruto tensed and signalled the other two to stop as he watched over the older man.

Gato slowly opened his eyes and quickly realized he wasn't the only one in the room. Naruto quickly put him in a headlock and held his katana at the man's throat. "Shh, relax. You're only paying for the sins you've done." Naruto whispered in his ear as Gato began to tremble under the boy's grasp. "Please, spare me." Gato begged as he closed his eyes. "You're funny," Naruto said, ignoring his plea. He tapped the blade of his katana on Gato's neck, making the man flinch. Sakura and Gaara resumed their jobs as Naruto played with Gato for a little. "Gato, how old are you?" Naruto asked as he sat down on the bed, his grip tightening on the old man. "Forty-eight, sir, may I ask why are you asking this?" Gato asked, suddenly becoming generous. Naruto chuckled; he was used to this kind of behaviour. First, they'd demand everything as if they were the kings then they'd treat you politely when you're the one holding the knife to their throats.

"Hurry up, you two. I want to kill this guy already." Naruto whispered over to his teammates, who had finished with the last safe and were starting with the stacks of money by his bed. "Knock him out. He'll be less of a problem then," Gaara suggested as he glanced at the shipping owner then looked back at the work. Gato began squirming as soon as he heard those words. Naruto grinned as he pressed his katana against his throat even more, drawing a think line of blood. Gato whimpered as the blonde never loosened his grip on him. "No, I like to see their faces whenever I kill them." Naruto replied with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes. Gato had had enough with their attitudes and was about to scream out for his guards until Naruto sliced his head off clean with his katana. He looked at his katana as he held the man's head and the body collapsed to the group. "Ugh, spoiled blood," Naruto muttered, whipping his katana clean on the bed sheets.

"Stop being such a drama queen and seal the head in one of your scrolls. We're leaving," Sakura said as she packed the last of her scrolls into her traveling packs. Gaara stood up with her and grabbed the knob, looking back at them just as they heard a poof. Naruto had sealed Gato's head into one of his scrolls. Gaara received two nods then opened the door just as two guards entered the hallway. They looked down at the bandits on the floor then at the teenagers. Gaara cursed and held his hand out, sand leaving from inside his cloak and towards the bandits. The sand wrapped around both of them as they struggled to get out. "_**Sabaku Sousou**_," Gaara muttered as he clenched his fist. At the same time, the sand around the two guards contracted, squeezing the life out of them. "Go, get rid of everyone else." Sakura ordered as more bandits came into the hall, having heard the pained screams of the other two. Naruto disappeared in a whirlwind while Gaara left in a swirl of sand.

Sakura smirked as she faced the bandits staring her down. "Let's play, then." Her katana appeared backwards in her hand as she took an offensive stance. Two bandits charged at her, one wielding a weak looking sword and the other swinging nun-chucks at her. Sakura charged at them with a silent scoff. She ducked under the swing of the sword and slashed him in the midsection then jumped in the air to avoid the hit by the other. She landed on the man's shoulder and stabbed him in his arm socket, dislocating his arm. She proceeded to stab him in the chest before jumping off his shoulders as soon as she heard something pierce through the air. As she made a back flip, she saw an arrow make contact with the dead man's ear and he fell to the floor. She landed in front of the man that had attempted to attack her and did a leg-sweep, making him land on his back. She stabbed him in his groin, receiving a scream of pain. Smirking, she slashed upwards until she reached his lungs, cutting them clean.

With a sigh as she attempted to wipe the blood off her mask but only succeeded in making even more of a bloody mess, she moved on.

_Kitsune….._

Naruto appeared on a windowsill at the eastern wing. He was outlined by shadows as he watched two guards slowly drift off to sleep. He brought out two kunai and threw them at their throats, succeeding in making their deaths quick and painless. He jumped off and walked to the end of the hall slowly, trying not to make any sound. He didn't know if the floors would squeak, given the fact that this structure was decades old and made out of wood. He looked around the corner into the rest of the wing, seeing multiple bandits and guards standing by the few closed doors.

Naruto dug into his kunai pouch and pulled out a small ball, throwing it at the bandits' feet. Everyone looked at the ball as it rolled to the middle of the wing. It suddenly exploded, covering the area with black smoke. Naruto quickly moved in as soon as he heard the men start coughing.

He grabbed a man by the neck and twisted it. He punched another in the stomach and quickly pulled out the hidden kunai he had in his cloak's sleeve as the enemy doubled over. He stabbed the man in the shoulder then in the ear. Naruto used the man's shoulders as a momentum to make him jump higher and throw kunai at the remaining bandits. They died quickly, some screaming as the pain registered in their nerve system but then were silenced by a second kunai. Naruto grinned under his mask as he walked out of the smoke calmly. He loved hearing criminals scream as they die. Knowing that they were tortured for their crimes brought a grin to Naruto's face. Karma's a bitch, right? He turned a corner, only to bump into more bandits.

"Well, come on, then." Naruto muttered as he got into an offense stance. He ran at them, his katana appearing in his hand as he swung at his opponent. His head was cut off as Naruto slashed another in the chest then moved to the right to stab another in the stomach. Naruto pushed his katana deeper into the man's gut, resulting in him screaming. He wanted to play with this man a little. While exiting the hideout after Gato had given them their mission, he had overheard the man brag to the other bandits how he had raped a girl and her best friend then killed them. Naruto didn't have any proof of it being true but he was doing a good job in helping Nami whether the man had done it or not. The blonde twisted the blade, moving the man's insides along with it. The man screamed as he grabbed onto Naruto's shoulders, holding onto dear life. Naruto didn't see the knife coming until he felt a sharp pain go up his spine. He pulled out his katana from the man's stomach and pushed him away. He reached back and pulled out the knife from his shoulder blade. Grunting in displeasure, Naruto bent down and stabbed the man in his left eye with his own knife then resumed his mission.

_Tanuki….._

Gaara arrived at the west wing soon after the order was given. He looked around as there were no guards here. He slowly walked towards the end of the hall. He stepped on a certain part of the floor and activated a booby-trap. The sand automatically came out of his traveling pack to protect him. At the end of the hall, he got jumped by four guards. The sand pierced through the chest of two of them as another string of sand went after the other two. Gaara clenched his fist by his side as the sand crushed them to tiny pieces. He walked into another hallway as guards turned to him. They clenched their weapons as the sand united and swirled around Gaara.

Gaara stared at them as he crossed his arms over his chest. The sand shot out at them as they charged at him. The sand wrapped around all of them as Gaara extended his right arm at them. "_**Sabaku Rou**_…._**Sabaku Sousou,**_" He closed his fist as the sand squeezed them to bits and chunks of blood and meat. Gaara walked away from the scene, the sand following after him. He walked into the last hallway full of bandits. He sighed as he extended his right arm. Sand formed a katana in his hand as he gripped it tightly. He got into a defensive fighting stance as the first wave of bandits came. The first one swung a cleaver at him and he ducked, quickly slashing up at the man. He turned around to elbow another in the stomach then turned again to stab him in the chest then kicked another in the shoulder as his other hand guided the sand to pierce through the only one left standing. Gaara stabbed the man he had kicked in the head then turned to the rest as they shook in their places. "Boo," Gaara muttered, sending them all running away, screaming for mercy. Rolling his eyes, Gaara reached out with his arm as sand obeyed his every command and grabbed the men by their ankles, keeping them in place on the ground. Gaara ran at them, slashing at them on their back or chests. Only two were alive by the time he had finished. He grabbed kunai from his kunai pouch and threw them at them, the throwing knifes going at a speed in which they couldn't dodge.

With the hallway clear, Gaara went to go meet with his teammates.

_Kitsune, Ryuu, Tanuki…._

Gaara and Sakura waited patiently for Naruto to finish behind some crates. He suddenly appeared behind them, his hands on their shoulders. "All right, let's take the rest of them on." Naruto said as he jumped out from behind the crate, Sakura and Gaara following him after sharing a shrug. Naruto and Sakura attacked on offensive as Gaara stayed on defence, protecting them whenever they needed it, though it only happened once or twice.

After about fifteen minutes of fighting and gathering all of the bodies, Naruto threw the last body on the pile and stepped back. He nodded at Sakura, who started making hand signs. She inhaled threw her nose then placed her index, middle fingers and thumb in front of her mouth. "_**Katon: Goukkakyou no jutsu**_," She exhaled, a fireball coming out of her mouth and covering the pile of dead bodies. She stopped after she thought it was enough. They watched as the fire slowly came down until there were only ashes on the floor.

"Come on. We have to go check on Zabuza." Sakura said turning away from the pile of ashes. Gaara turned away to follow her until they heard a slight hiss. They turned to Naruto as he held his right shoulder. "What happened? You got hurt?" Sakura asked as she quickly went to check out the wound. She couldn't see anything as it was covered by the cloak. She took it off him, followed by his shirt and fishnet shirt. "It's pretty deep. I don't think Kyuubi will be able to heal it immediately." Sakura said looking over the wound. "Why didn't you tell me you got hurt?" She asked glaring at him. "I didn't think it would be that bad." Naruto answered with a grunt. He still had his mask on so they couldn't see his pain-stricken face.

"I wish I had more knowledge in the healing department. I'd be able to completely treat these. For now, however, I'll close the wound and hope Kyuubi will heal it fast." Sakura said as she placed her hands over Naruto's injury. The wound closed quickly but it still wasn't healed inside. She quickly wrapped his entire chest, making sure she didn't stare as his muscles for too long. Gaara helped him put on his clothes as Sakura put away her medical pack. "Let's go." Sakura said as soon as the boys were done.

They walked for two hours, following Naruto's enhanced smell and Sakura's slight sensor abilities. Itachi had taught them how to sense somehow else's chakra signature and it wasn't a big surprise when Sakura was the one with the best capability of it. She had the best chakra control; she could hide her chakra completely and sense someone else's without any hassle. Apparently, her abilities lie within Genjutsu, Katon, Medical Ninjutsu, and great chakra control. Naruto was the complete opposite. He was great with Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, Futon and Sealing. Gaara had the best of both worlds as he was good with Ninjutsu, although not as good with Taijutsu or Genjutsu, was great with Doton, had experience with Futon and could summon on his Bijuu.

By the time they neared Zabuza's campsite, the sun could be seen in the far off east. They landed softly in front of Haku, who was sleeping leaning against a tree. Sakura ordered Naruto to rest and Gaara to watch him as she woke up Haku. The boy groggily stared at her until his brain finally kicked into Shinobi mode. He reached for a kunai but was stopped by Sakura grabbing his hand. "We're not here to fight." Sakura reassured him, making him sigh in relief. He hadn't been ready for them to come here and he had let his guard down slightly.

"I'm going to make this quick. We killed Gato," Sakura said, shocking Haku. He hadn't thought they would go that far. "We invaded his hideout and killed him along with all of his men. We know that Zabuza was only doing this job because he was being paid and wouldn't be sold out to Kirigakure Anbu. We have a proposition. We're going to give you guys twice what Gato promised us all together and not sell you away to Kiri. But rather, we'd like for you to join Akatsuki." Sakura offered as she watched for any reactions.

"I don't know, Sakura-chan. It's all up to Zabuza-sama, not me." Haku said frowning at her. "I know. So, please, tell him when he wakes up. If you agree, meet me at the Amegakure gates in a week. Send for us, we'll tell the guards we'll be expecting you. If you don't agree, you won't show up. Here's the money and tell Zabuza he's off Gato's hands." Sakura stood up and took out a scroll from her traveling pack. She laid it out on the ground and made a hand sign, yelling out a "_**Kai**_," afterwards.

Two stacks of money appeared on the scroll. Haku held his breath, looking over the money they had gathered. This could probably sum up to five times what Gato had promised them. "Take half; the rest is for Tazuna and the Konoha team." Sakura said as she turned around and walked over to Naruto. She kneeled down by him, asking about his wound. Haku watched them interact before reaching over to get one of the stacks of money. He put it away in one of his backpacks then turned to the team. Sakura was looking over Naruto's wound while Gaara was looking around. "You'll be fine. Kyuubi's already healed most of it. I'll thoroughly check it when we go to Tazuna's house." Sakura said, reassuring Naruto. He nodded as he stood up, hissing slightly when the movement caused pain to shoot up to his shoulder.

"You want me to check it over?" Haku offered as he looked at Naruto's blood soaked cloak. He was slightly worried, however, because the three of them had blood splattered all over their cloaks. Catching on his thoughts, Gaara shook his head. "Naruto's the only one who got seriously wounded. Sakura has a few scratches here and there but nothing major. We appreciate it but we don't need your help. Kyuubi can take care of Naruto's injury." Gaara told him, making him sigh in relief.

"That and you need to look after Zabuza. Besides, we need to leave as soon as possible. We want our vacation week back," Sakura walking over to Haku. He nodded at her. They had told him everything when they had met for the mission briefing at the hideout. "All right, I'll see you next week, hopefully." Haku said extending his hand at her. Sakura grasped it and shook it. "It was great seeing you again, Haku."

"See ya' around, man."

"Bye, Haku."

"Goodbye, Gaara-kun, Naruto-kun." They exchanged goodbyes then the trio left. They ran at top speeds to get to Tazuna's house before they probably missed him. If the old man was so determined to go up against Gato, then they had no doubt that he was probably at the bridge by now. Of course, the sun just came up so he could be having breakfast at the moment. With that in mind, they sped up, intent on getting to their vacations faster.

Soon, they were in view of Tazuna's house. Sakura knew because there was one strong chakra signature coming from the house and Naruto had been able to get Kakashi and Sasuke's scent. They jumped down from the trees and onto the dirt road leading to the very few houses nearby. They walked calmly onto the small wood plank connecting the road with the house. Naruto knocked on the door then stepped back, hearing someone's footsteps heading their way. A little boy with a white and blue hat opened the door. He quickly cowered when he saw the three masked ninja. He turned around to run away, slamming the door in the process. Gaara's sand stopped the door from closing as they looked at each other. Gaara and Sakura knew Naruto wanted to burst out laughing at the reaction the kid had on his face. Gaara's sand opened the door for them all the way and let them in, closing it behind them afterwards. They followed Naruto into the dining room, where only Kakashi, Tazuna, the little boy and a woman were at. They citizens looked at them in fear while Kakashi's only visible eye narrowed on them.

The three felt the air shift behind them. Sakura turned around in time to catch Amaya's fist then held her arm behind her back, twisting her wrist in the process. Sakura then wrapped her arm around Amaya's neck tightly, holding her in place. Naruto ducked under Sasuke's punch then did a backflip to avoid the kick sent at his back. Naruto landed then disappeared, appearing behind the Uchiha a second later. Naruto grabbed him in a headlock and did a leg-sweep, dropping Sasuke on his stomach. Naruto sat on top of him, still holding him in a headlock. Gaara didn't even move as the sand wrapped around Kota's incoming foot and slammed him onto the floor in front of him and held him there.

"You consider yourselves Shinobi? Tell me you are when you sneak into your opponent's campsite and kill everyone there singlehandedly. This is no child play, you fucking twerps." Sakura growled as she held Amaya tighter. Kakashi sighed as he looked over at his team. Although he didn't like the insulting, he had to give them a point there.

"Who are you to say that? You don't know us." Sasuke yelled as he tried to stand up. "We know everything about you, Uchiha." Gaara answered looking over at him. Sasuke grunted, not believing them. _'Just to humour them,'_ Naruto smirked under his mask. "Uchiha Sasuke, sole survivor of the Uchiha clan who is still loyal to Konohagakure. You're thirteen years old and want to kill your older brother in revenge. I'm going to go ahead and guess that you were the Rookie of the Year. I don't know what jutsus exactly are in your arsenal but I know that your strongest is the **Katon: Goukkakyou no jutsu**. Your _**Ninjutsu **_and _**Taijutsu**_ are exceptional for a Rookie Genin but your Genjutsu is at average. You have yet to unlock your Sharingan." Naruto said shocking everyone in the room.

"Haruno Amaya, heiress to the Haruno clan. You seem to have a crush on Sasuke here. You're not very good at _**Taijutsu**_, your _**Ninjutsu**_ is average and your Genjutsu could be off the charts if you actually trained. Also, your clan disgusts me." Sakura said kicking one of Amaya's legs and pushing her, resulting in her losing her balance and falling on the floor face first. Sakura had let go of her and was now sitting on her back, enjoying every moment of it.

"The only one we don't know about is Kota here but that's because he doesn't have a name for himself yet." Gaara said nodding at Kota, who was trying to get sand out of his mouth. Kakashi sighed again. He looked at both teams. "Who are you?" He asked, tensing when the kids looked at him. "The one holding the Uchiha is Kitsune and the other one is Tanuki. I'm Ryu, the leader of the team." Sakura introduced before any of the boys could get a word in. She knew Naruto was itching to surprise the Konoha team by telling them their names, especially since her own sister was here but she wasn't going to have that. At least, not yet anyways.

"Kitsune, Tanuki and Ryu…I know you!" Kota said as he looked up at the team holding his own team down. "You do?" Amaya asked him, despite the fact that she could barely breathe. "Yeah, I overheard Nii-san talking to Kaa-san about a team helping his team out last month. Their codenames were Kitsune, Ryu and Tanuki. Nii-san said that they're Amegakure's _**Akuma no Buntai**_. You guys are them, right?" Kota asked as he looked at them. If it was them, they had saved his older brother's life. He was in big debt to them.

"Kamizuki Kota…You're Izumo's little brother?" Sakura asked looking over at the younger boy. He nodded, grinning at them. "Hmph, interesting...Nice to meet you, Kota. You're right, we're the Akuma no Buntai. It was a pleasure working with your brother." She said as she nodded over at Gaara. The sand around Kota lifted and went over to Gaara, swirling around him. Everyone watched in amazement, even Kakashi seemed surprised. While everyone was watching the sand, Sakura took out the scroll containing Tazuna's share of Gato's money. She got off Amaya and placed the scroll on the floor, bringing everyone's attention to her. She opened the scroll and did the same steps she had done when they were with Haku. A stack of money appeared on top of the scroll.

"Anyway, we didn't come here to fight or get to know each other. We came here on business, nothing more and nothing less. Tazuna, I understand that Gato is after your head, yes?" Sakura asked as she looked at the older man. "Yeah, he is." Tazuna answered, feeling all eyes on him. "Was," Naruto said as he let go of Sasuke and went to stand by his teammates. "What do you mean?" Kakashi asked with a frown.

"We killed Gato." Naruto answered with a shrug, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. The room fell silent as everyone stared at them. They didn't believe them, that was obvious. The little boy was the one to react first. "No! Gato's too strong! He can't be killed!" He yelled at them, flinching when they looked at him. "Think again, kid. We have Gato's head right here." Naruto muttered, patting his hip. "You're lying!" The kid yelled at him, shaking his head.

"Inari, stop it. Your father wouldn't want you behaving like this." The woman said as she placed her hand on her hip. "Tou-san was killed by Gato and he was the strongest man here! They'll only be killed if they try!" Inari yelled at his mother. That's when everyone got it. The kid was still mopping over his father's death. He wanted their pity, he wanted them to feel sorry for him and cower in fear. Well, they are not going to have that. "You wimp, your father dies by Gato's hand and you do nothing but cry about it? Are you so chicken that you won't do a thing to get him back? You won't help everyone else who probably went through the same thing you did? You tell everyone your sob little story so they can pity you? You're not the only one without a father. Neither of us have parents," Naruto yelled at him while pointing at Gaara and himself then pointed at Sakura, "Nor do her parents give a shit about her! But you want to know something? We stopped crying over it and became ninja! Ninja that have killed hundreds, if not thousands of people and Gato was nothing of a challenge!" Naruto yelled at him as he glared from behind the mask.

"Kitsune, you're bleeding." Gaara said looking at his shoulder. Blood was soaking the cloak. "I don't care-"

"Kitsune, stop it. That's enough." Sakura ordered as she watched tears run down Inari's eyes. Naruto growled under his breath as he took a step back and turned away. "Excuse him; he's a little touchy in the parents department." She said looking at him, though in reality, she was glaring. "Its fine," Tazuna said waving the subject off. Kakashi, however, was slightly interested in the kids' stories. "Anyway, we really did kill Gato and that's some of his money. I figured since you tricked these guys into an A-ranked mission, you'd give them the proper pay. Besides, you'll probably need some money to continue working on the bridge." Sakura said pointing at the stack of money. "Of course, thank you." Tazuna said standing up to collect the money. "Also, I trust that you will protect this man until the bridge is finished? There might be some bandits outside of the hideout that we missed. You won't bail on them like you normally would, right?" She asked, turning to Amaya. She glared at Sakura, though she had no idea what she was talking about.

"Don't worry about it. Though, I would like to know of your friend Zabuza." Kakashi said finally standing up from the table, using crutches to help him stand. "No need to worry about him. We took care of him." Gaara answered as he kept staring at Naruto's wound. Naruto noticed the intense stare and covered his shoulder with his hand. Sakura didn't miss the hiss that escaped his lips when he touched it. "You killed him, too? That's impossible. Not even Kakashi could kill him." Sasuke said as he narrowed his eyes at the group. "No, we didn't kill him. We wouldn't take advantage of an opponent when he's immobile. Hopefully, we bribed him with twice the money Gato had promised us." Sakura explained shrugging.

"Gato promised you money? You mean he hired you to kill Tazuna?" Amaya asked taking a kunai out. "Yes but don't worry, we cut our deal with him the moment we cut off his head." Sakura muttered waving the offending knife off. She turned to the woman. "Uh…"

"Tsunami,"

"Tsunami, could you lend me a bowl full of water? I need to properly clean the Baka's wound." Sakura said bowing her head a bit. "Of course, anything you need." Tsunami said turning around to get the water. Sakura extended her hand at Naruto, who growled at her. She growled back, something Kakashi noticed right away. _'There has to be a reason why their team is named that way.'_ He thought as he watched the exchanged growls. Finally, Naruto gave up and reached into one of his traveling packs, pulling out a scroll. "Close your eyes," She told Inari then opened the scroll when he did. She made a hand sign then a puff of smoke appeared around the scroll. When the smoke cleared, Gato's head was on top of the scroll. The Genin gasped as they looked at the head. Amaya suddenly tasted her breakfast in her mouth again.

Sakura made another hand sign and it disappeared as Inari opened his eyes. She kneeled down to roll the scroll up then tossed it at Naruto, who caught it and put it away. "I think I'm gonna' throw up," Amaya muttered while holding her stomach. "It's normal if it's the first time you've seen something like that." Kakashi explained, reassuring the heiress. "Heh, you're lucky. The first time the two of us experienced something like that was a rape scene then a murder scene all in one." Naruto muttered nodding his head at Sakura. "Tanuki's first time was putting his own uncle into a near-death state." He continued as he placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder. "Why would you do that?" Kota asked frowning at Gaara.

"He tried to kill me. I was just defending myself. Though the funny thing is I was only six at the time," Gaara said with something sadistic in his voice. He smirked when the kids' eyes widened. "Here you go," Tsunami said as she looked at the team with sympathetic eyes. They hated those eyes but they weren't going to hold that against her, she didn't really know them after all.

Sakura thanked her and grabbed the bowl out of her hands, turning to Naruto as the three of them sat down on the floor. Gaara helped him take off his cloak, shirt and fishnet. Amaya practically drooled when she saw his chest. She also wished he had that blonde hair-blue eye combination when she saw his blond hair spiking up. She then winced when she saw his injury. Sakura grabbed a cloth from her medical pack and soaked it, watching as Naruto's blood dropped onto the floor. She squeezed the water out of the cloth but left it wet enough for it to be smooth on his skin. She placed the cloth on the wound, Naruto hissing as soon as the cold water made contact with his burning hot skin.

"Fuck, Ryu, can't you make it hurt a little more?" Naruto asked sarcasm laced in every single word. "Yeah, I can." Sakura answered as she pushed on the wound. Naruto grunted as he grabbed his pants. "I fucking hate you," Naruto muttered through gritted teeth as he glared over his shoulder though no one saw it because of the mask. "I love you, too." Sakura said, running her free hand down his arm. He shrugged it off with a growl but hissed again when Sakura put more pressure on his injury.

Amaya, in the meantime, glared at Sakura for touching him like that, Sasuke glared at Naruto for being touched like that and Kota grinned at the interaction. Kakashi sweat dropped while Tazuna seemed lost and Tsunami told Inari to go to his room. Sakura cleaned his wound then closed it again with the medical Ninjutsu she knew. "Stop moving so much, Kyuubi won't be able to heal it if you don't stay still." Sakura ordered him and Naruto just grunted then nodded. Sakura threw him his shirt as she scoffed and stood up. Under their masks, they were both grinning. Gaara shook his head at their antics, smirking under his own mask.

"I'm just tired. We got like five hours of sleep and we've been either fighting or running ever si

ce." Naruto said as he put his fishnet on, followed by his shirt and cloak. "You're welcomed to stay here." Tsunami offered, bringing all of the attention to her. "Thanks but no thanks. We better make it back to Ame before our two weeks' worth of vacation runs out. Besides, I need to make a report and I want to get it over with." Sakura said waving her offer off. "Amegakure…It's a long way from here and if what Kitsune says it's true, then you guys should rest. You may be strong ninja but Shinobi need their rest. Team Seven will even lend you their futons." Kakashi offered, chuckling nervously when his team glared at him.

Gaara, Naruto and Sakura looked at each other. "It's free," Gaara muttered with a shrug. Sakura sighed, turning back to everyone else. "Fine, we'll stay the night but we're leaving early in the morning. Don't expect us to say goodbye." Sakura said turning away from the group and walking outside of the house. Naruto sighed as he turned to Gaara. "I'll go talk to her," He left the room afterwards.

"Why didn't she want to stay?" Tazuna asked, beating Kota to the punch. "She despises Haruno and Uchiha, especially you two." Gaara said, nodding at Amaya and Sasuke. "Why?" Kota asked, smirking when the old man glared at him. "Let's just say that we weren't born in Amegakure and our perspective villages hated our guts." Gaara hinted, sitting down at the table. "She's from Konoha?" Kakashi asked soon after. The Genin's attention was caught at the mention if their home. "They're both from Konoha," Gaara muttered nodding his head to the door. "What happened? I mean, you're ninja from Amegakure, right?" Kota asked raising his brow. "It's not in my place to talk about that." Gaara said crossing his arms over his chest, indicating that the conversation was over.

_Kitsune, Ryuu….._

Sakura was sitting by the shore. She had her mask on her head as she looked at the reflection of her face in the water. She frowned when she looked at her eyes. Her eyes had changed when she reached the age of ten. No one had found anything wrong with them. Not even Itachi or Pein could comprehend what had happened to her eyes. She sighed as she lowered her head, the hood covering her face. That wasn't what was bringing her down, though.

Sakura heard footsteps approach her and knew exactly who it was. Naruto sat down by her, moving his mask up to his head. The two didn't utter a word but rather just looked on as the sun finished rising and shone on the water. The silence was comfortable but Naruto could tell that something was bothering Sakura. He looked down at the water as he shifted a little. "All this water makes me want to go piss." He muttered, receiving a snicker. He smirked as he looked at her then frowned when she only looked at her reflection.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, placing his hand over hers. Sakura sighed as she looked up. "I didn't want to stay here." She told him, closing her eyes. That's when the blonde understood what was bothering her. She didn't want to be near her sister. "I don't know. I guess I'm still surprised about her being here. I mean, a Rookie Genin coming on an A-ranked mission? It doesn't matter if they were tricked into it, it's still fucking unfair." Sakura said shaking her head then grabbed her hood when it was about to fall off. "I have a feeling that that's not the only thing bothering you. Come on, we're Genin and we've gone on four S-ranked missions." Naruto reasoned smirking when she glared at him.

"Yeah but we've been training our whole lives for this. Who knows when Amaya started actually training? I bet you a thousand yen that she doesn't know more than five jutsu, not counting the basic _**Kawarimi**_, **Bunshin** and **Henge**." Sakura challenged, turning away from him. "I'll take you on that bet. But, Sakura-chan, I know that's not the only thing bothering you." Naruto pressed, squeezing her hand.

Sakura looked at him and her eyes softened. The guy read her like an open book. "I guess it's because she gets to wear that symbol around proudly when she hasn't done a thing to help anyone and I don't. I guess a part of me still wants to be a part of the Haruno, even if my heart hates them completely. What's also bothering me is that she gets to go around with two cute boys and I have two Jinchuuriki, who behave like children when at home." Sakura joked, smirking when Naruto frowned at her.

"Do you have something to say to me?" He asked narrowing his eyes. Sakura chuckled, reaching into his hood to run a hand through his hair. This action made him lean into the touch and purr. "No, I'm fine with you Bakas." She told him as she watched his face turn from a frown into a look of ecstasy. "So, if you had the chance, you would go back to Konoha and leave Akatsuki?" Naruto asked suddenly frowning. Sakura stopped her actions and looked into his eyes. "Never would I leave you. You've been my family for seven years and Akatsuki is my home. I'd be lost if I were somewhere else without knowing that you were by my side." Sakura said leaning her forehead on his.

Naruto didn't say anything but rather leaned in to press his lips against hers. Sakura was taken back. They've been dating for almost a year now but they never had such advantages, even when the chances came. This was truly their first kiss. And Sakura couldn't help but get lost in it. She closed her eyes and kissed back, their hoods hiding both of their faces. Naruto reached into her hood and cupped her cheek, deepening the kiss. Sakura grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled him closer. Naruto growled into the kiss, liking the aggressiveness.

A cough was heard and they separated, quickly turning to the shore. Gaara stood there with his arms crossed in front of his chest. They couldn't see his reaction because of his mask, adding more to their embarrassment. "Well, it's about time. Anyway, I'd hate to interrupt you lovebirds but Tsunami made us breakfast. I suggest you leave your making-out for later before the food gets cold." And he was amused. Gaara turned around and started walking back into the house. "I hate him," Naruto muttered under his breath. Sakura glanced at him then smirked. "Thanks," She leaned up and pecked his lips, shocking him. "No problem…Wait, what are you thanking me for?" Naruto asked, slightly confused. "For making me fully realize where my home is. When I saw Amaya again wearing our clan's symbol, I got jealous because I knew she was being trained by Tou-san. But when you asked me if I would leave you, you made me realize that I had nothing to be jealous about. I have a great boyfriend, a little brother, an older brother and about a dozen or so people who really care about me and would do anything for me. Plus, I was starting to think that you didn't have the guts to kiss me. Thanks for clearing that up for me." Sakura said running her hand through his hair.

Naruto grinned at her then jumped on her, their hoods falling off their heads. He wrapped his arms around her waist and jumped into the water with her in his arms. Naruto grinned at her under water when she glared at him. He then leaned in, kissing her. Sakura closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the freedom they had underwater. They pulled each other closer as they tried to stay under the water. Soon, the need for air arose and they had to separate. They put their hoods on and surfaced, gasping for air. Sakura put her hands on top of the water and pulled herself onto the water, Naruto following her example. Sakura used a Katon jutsu to dry herself up while Naruto used his Futon. When they went back into the house, they were both completely dry and with their masks on.

They sat down at the almost empty table, joining Gaara in his meal. Tsunami was washing dishes and Tazuna was reading something at the end of the table. Team Seven had left and Inari was up in his room. They ate quietly, Tazuna glad for the silence. As soon as they finished, the trio left the house, leaving a few Kage Bunshin with the family just in case.

They went to look for Team Seven to see if any of them wanted to spar with Naruto. They found them in the forest by Tazuna's house. Kakashi was explaining something to them. The three listened in, only to find out that they were trying out the Tree Climbing exercise for the first time. "You owe me a thousand yen," Sakura whispered over to Naruto. "Now, wait. You don't know if she actually knows any jutsu by that exercise." Naruto countered only to be slapped in the face by facts. "Naruto, this is a basic chakra control exercise. If you don't know this, you can't learn many jutsu. This is one of the few exercises you can do to learn better chakra control." Sakura explained, rolling her eyes when he started hitting his head with a tree trunk, muttering, "Stupid, stupid, stupid," over and over again.

Gaara rolled his eyes then turned back to the team. Kota and Sasuke had only been able to go up two steps before falling off. Sasuke had put in too much chakra and Kota too little. Amaya was the last to try and she was able to touch the first branch before slipping and falling off. She couldn't keep the flow of chakra in her feet and gravity took its toll on her, letting her slip off.

"Looks like Amaya has the best chakra control of them team. Though, that's completely normal, seeing as she's from a Genjutsu clan. Okay, I want you to keep trying until sunset or until you run out of chakra. _**Akuma no Buntai**_ may have told us that they got rid of Gato and made Zabuza leave us alone but we need to protect Tazuna in case they missed any other bandit or ninja." Kakashi said from a tree branch. He looked over his team before nodding, indicating that they could start.

He jumped down from his tree, forgetting that his body couldn't take so much and almost collapsed on the floor. However, Naruto and Sakura had caught him before he met the ground by grabbing both of his shoulders and helping him stand up. He looked at them, his breathing hard. _'They're fast.'_ He looked up as Gaara landed in front of him, nodding at him. "Are you okay?" Naruto asked, his voice hinting concern. He may despise Konoha but that didn't mean he had to be cold towards fellow ninja. Besides, his hate resided more towards the civilians and council members rather than Shinobi.

"I'm fine. I guess I just forgot my body wasn't able to withstand so much at the moment." Kakashi said as Gaara handed him his crutches. "What made you so weak?" Sakura asked examining his body with her eyes. "If I use my Sharingan too much, my chakra will exhaust. I will be fine in a few days." Kakashi explained with a sigh. "Well, just take it easy. You're no good to these brats if you're in a wheelchair." Naruto said as he stood in front of the Jonin with his team.

"That reminds me. May I ask how old are you?" Kakashi asked as he looked at them. They keep calling his team brats and twerps when they themselves couldn't be any older than them. "Kitsune and I are thirteen. Tanuki is twelve." Sakura said leaning against the tree he was previously stand on.

"You're younger than my team, why do you keep insulting them with those names?" Kakashi asked with a frown. They were very mysterious and very confusing. "'Cause their skill and experience is way lower than ours." Naruto said with a shrug. "We've been ninja since we were all six. They're just Rookies fresh out of the academy." Gaara said looking at the Genin as they tried to run up the tree and failed miserably. "What rank are you guys, then?" Kakashi pressed. He needed details for his report since he couldn't get their names.

"Genin," Naruto answered watching Sasuke's every move. Kakashi nodded, accepting their answer. He wasn't shocked but he was surprised that a team of mere Genin could take on Gato's men and the mastermind behind it all. On top of that, they were able to get Zabuza to release him from the _**Suiro**_ jutsu pretty easily. They really must have a lot of experience. Amegakure really had worked them up.

"If you're so experienced, why are you still Genin?" Kakashi said, trying to keep a conversation with them. He had nothing else to do and he was pretty sure that they had left someone behind to watch over the house. "We're gonna give the Chunin Exams a try next month. Though we could be promoted to a higher rank because of our missions, our leader wants us to go to strengthen the alliance." Sakura replied as she watched Amaya fall and had to resist the urge to laugh. "Say, could I spar with him before we leave? It'd be fun to watch his arrogance go down a few notches." Naruto asked pointing at Sasuke. Naruto could feel the arrogance and pride the guy had around him. He could feel the same thing about Amaya but he'll leave that to Sakura.

"Uh, sure, I guess." Kakashi said, rubbing the back of his neck. "All right, then! Hey, Uchiha! Get your ass over here!" Naruto yelled at him, bringing everyone's attention to him. Sasuke walked over to him, hands in his pocket. "What is it? You're interrupting my training." Sasuke said glaring at him.

"I thought I should relieve you. It looks like you're getting your ass beaten by that tree." Naruto said crossing his arms across his chest. "I'd like to see you try, you loser." Sasuke challenged as his glare became harder. _'Damn, he really is Sensei's brother.'_ Gaara thought as he simply just stared at the two. Naruto scoffed and started walking backwards on the tree he had been recently leaning against. "You were saying, Uchiha?" The blonde mocked as he did a front flip and landed in front of him.

Sasuke's glare never softened, if anything, it got harder. He cocked back his fist and aimed at Naruto's head. Naruto caught the punch easily. "Please, you're gonna have to do better than that to beat me." Naruto mocked with a sigh, as if seeming disappointed. Sasuke gritted his teeth and jumped back, quickly making hand seals. "_**Katon: Goukkakyou no jutsu,**_" He yelled out before bringing his fingers up to his mouth and blowing. A giant fireball was formed as it flew towards Naruto.

Everyone jumped out of the way except for Naruto. Naruto took out a scroll and opened it, making his own set of hand signs afterwards. "_**Suiton: Daibakufu no jutsu**_," Naruto yelled as a current of water appeared from the scroll. A wall of water encircled around Naruto, taking the fireball. The fireball turned to smoke, blinding everything from Naruto's side. Suddenly, a large force of water erupted from the smoke and hit Sasuke. Sasuke was slammed back before hitting a tree. When the smoke cleared, Naruto stood there with his arms crossed. "Pathetic. Do you really think you're going to beat Itachi like that?" Naruto asked his voice rough and overpowering. Sasuke's eyes shot open as he looked at the kitsune.

"How do you…?" Sasuke trailed as he stared at Naruto with wide eyes. "Who do you think trained us?" Sakura asked walking up by Naruto, Gaara following her example. Realization fell on Team Seven as they stared at the _**Akuma no Buntai. **_Sasuke then glared at them. "Where's Itachi?" He asked and they knew that they had hit a rough spot. "We don't know. He comes and goes, you know. He never stays in one place for long," Sakura said with a shrug. And that was only half-true. He doesn't stay in one place for long while traveling. However, Amegakure is his home now. Of course he's going to stay there.

"You were trained by Uchiha Itachi?" Amaya asked as she walked up to them. "Yes. Is something wrong with that?" Gaara asked turning to her. "No. It's just that Itachi took my sister when he killed off his clan." Amaya told them, looking at the ground as if remembering something. "What?" Sasuke asked looking at her. "Yeah, he took my little sister and another boy. The Hokage announced them both dead two years after he took them. You didn't meet them by any chance, right?" Amaya asked the trio. They looked at each other. "No, we didn't, sorry." Sakura lied, her heartbeat decreasing its rate slowly. Amaya nodded, going back to her thinking pose.

"Well, it looks like it's time for us to head back. We need to take care of a few things before we leave. Honestly, Sasuke, that was a pretty weak fight, try working on it. We'll see you tonight. Come one, let's go, you two." Naruto said as he jumped into the trees, Gaara and Sakura following him. He wanted to get out of there fast. They were curious and he didn't want to risk them getting caught.

_Tazuna's House…..The Next Morning_

Kakashi had woken up and walked towards the kitchen. He found Tsunami washing dishes and Tazuna reading. He looked around the table and frowned. He would have guessed that the Ame team had woken up by now. He sat down at the table, Tsunami telling him that she will give him his breakfast soon. Tazuna looked at Kakashi then glanced at the door. "They left," He said as his eyes landed on the Jonin again. Kakashi nodded, showing that he was listening. "They said something about their leader expecting them at home tomorrow. They ate breakfast and left."

"How was Kitsune's shoulder?" Kakashi asked, remembering that the blonde had gotten an injury. "It was completely healed. He had so scab and no scar. Pretty amazing if you ask me." Tazuna said as he began reading again. Kakashi nodded, quickly beginning to think. He wouldn't have been bothered by them leaving if he didn't know that Ryu and Kitsune were from Konoha. Something was off and he was going to find out about it. They had said something about helping Izumo on a mission. Maybe he should go ask the Chunin when they got back.

Kakashi sighed. Kitsune had beaten Sasuke yesterday and the Uchiha couldn't stop fuming about it. Sasuke seemed jealous and overall pissed. The fact that Amaya was able to get to the top of the tree first didn't help, either. _'This team is going to fall apart if I don't do something about the two's arrogance soon.'_

_Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki…..The Next Day_

As soon as they went through Amegakure's front gates, the team took off their masks. It was raining so they decided to keep their cloaks on. They made a bee-line to the tower, where they were to report back from their mission along with the rest of the Akatsuki. They knocked on the door before going in, the darkness of the room shadowing over them. They took off the hoods and stared at the shadows in the room. "We're reporting back on our mission, Pein-sama." Sakura asked with authority hinting in her voice.

"Report," Pein replied as he opened his eyes. Other eyes opened in the room, equalling twelve pairs of eyes, including theirs. "Gato of the Gato Shipping Company hired us to kill an offending bridge builder. Gato explained to us that the bridge builder was trying to get rid of him and had hired Konohagakure ninja to do so. We teamed up with Kirigakure's _**Oni Kyodai**_ to get rid of the old man. We stayed behind, however, because things seemed a little weird to us. That's when we overheard Tazuna explaining things to the Konoha team. Gato was a drug dealer who used the cover of shipping owner to make illegal deals and kill off innocent people. We regrouped with Zabuza and Haku, who had also been hired by Gato in case we failed. We warned Zabuza of Gato's real plans but he went on with his original mission. We stopped him from killing the Genin team that Tazuna had hired and let him fight with their Jonin instructor. Zabuza lost and was almost killed by the Jonin but Haku saved him. We fled the battle scene before we were questioned." Sakura explained, nodding over at Gaara to give him the role.

"At midnight, we invaded Gato's hideout and killed him, gathering all of the money he had in his room. We killed off every bandit and guard at the hideout and gave Zabuza and Haku twice the money Gato had offered us all together. We then went to give Tazuna some of the money. We would've left Nami that day but Naruto got a serious injury and he needed the rest." Gaara reported, his eyes never leaving Pein's. "We also offered Zabuza and Haku a place here in Akatsuki. We're sure they'll take up on the offer but the decision is up to you, Pein-sama." Naruto said with a bow. He hated being so formal but Pein would not have any goofing around during reports.

"How much money did you three gather?" Pein asked as he narrowed his eyes at them. The mission was a success. After all, every member of Akatsuki knew of Gato's real identity except for the three youngsters. The mission was a test to see if they would act on their instincts or just think of the mission.

"We don't know. We were hoping Kakuzu would count the money for us." Naruto said as Sakura took out seven scrolls and unrolled them. She made a hand sign and puffs of smoke appeared on the seven scrolls. All of the cash they had gathered appeared on top of the scrolls. "Holy crap," A deep voice sounded throughout the room. "Kakuzu just died and went to heaven, hm." A smoother voice was heard, making Naruto chuckle. "Good job, you three. May I ask how many people you killed for Jashin?" A man asked as the kids tensed. "Uh…We lost count after thirty…?" Sakura said, the reply sounding more of a question rather than an answer. A grunt of approval was heard, making them sigh in relief.

"Quiet, everyone," Pein said as he walked out of the shadows and to the trio. "This shall be ranked as a high B-rank mission, seeing as two of you came out unharmed. I'm also guessing it wasn't a level of difficulty. I will let Kakuzu count the money then I will give you half of it." Pein said as he looked at each of them.

"Half of it? Are you serious? That's awesome!" Naruto said grinning at him. "Not that I mind but why half of it?" Sakura asked, confused. The three only get one-thirds of the missions, not this much. "I have my reasons for giving you this much. Now, go enjoy your vacation because you're going to Konoha next month." Pein said turning his back on them. "Wait, Konoha? The Chunin Exams are being held in Konoha this year?" Sakura asked frowning. Things only keep getting worse for her. "Yes and you are not skipping out on this one. I need you three to attend. Some of my spies are saying that Orochimaru is infiltrating the Chunin Exams this year. As to why, we have no idea. But that's where you three come in." Pein said as he turned back to them. He hadn't planned on telling them their real purpose on entering the exams this year until the day they left but things don't always go as planned.

"You are to locate Orochimaru and watch his every move. Do not interfere, however. I don't want any complications with Konoha ninja. Itachi, would you please explain to them the parts of the exam?" Pein nodded at Itachi as the lights switched on. Finally, everyone was visible. Itachi nodded at them, narrowing his eyes. "There are three parts to the exam. First part is a written test. However, it's not the test you are to focus on but rather collecting the answers from the other participants. The second part is a survival exercise. There are two scrolls. You are given one and you are to look for another squad with the other scroll. You need to get the scroll at all costs and meet at the centre of the training ground. After that, you are given one month to prepare for the third part. The third stage is a one on one battle tournament. Everyone is going to be watching you, from Daimyo and Kage down to civilians. Sasori," Itachi explained then nodded at a redheaded man.

"All right, listen up because I'm only saying this once. We were told that Orochimaru is making an appearance during the second part of the exam. We don't have many details because my connections with the spy under Orochimaru's orders have been caught off but it is possible that Orochimaru may be planning an invasion against Konoha using _**Otogakure**_. We cannot let Konoha fall, that will only ensure that Orochimaru will only get stronger. You are to pick up his scent or chakra signature and watch him during this part. Got it?" Sasori asked as he watched their reactions. Sakura seemed a little peeved but she was listening. Naruto and Gaara were putting their full attention on the plans.

"Okay. It's time for the rules. You are not going to be under Itachi, Sasori or Hidan's order. Konan is going with you because she's a legal Amegakure Shinobi. You are not going to use any masks or Henge to cover up your identity," Pein stopped when he heard Naruto and Sakura groan then continued. "You will be wearing headsets at all times and will do whatever Konan tells you to do. If you are called to the Hokage, tell him everything you know about Orochimaru's invasion. It wouldn't hurt to have Konoha ready for the invasion." Pein ordered then asked if they had any questions. Sakura frowned at him and everyone instantly knew that she either found a loophole in their plan or had interesting facts.

"So, you're saying that Orochimaru is trying to destroy Konoha? But why would he need to infiltrate the exams? He could just attack during the final event when everyone's attention is focused on the battles. He didn't need to invade the exams if his goal was only to destroy Konoha." Sakura said looking at them. "That means he's looking for something else, right?" A man with blue skin asked as he looked at Pein.

"That fucking bastard is making this crap harder for us." A man with white hair cursed while crossing his arms. "Hidan, shut up. You might be right, Kisame." Kakuzu said looking at the shark-like man. "What is he after then, hm?" A teenager with long blonde hair asked staring at Sakura. "I don't know, Deidara…" Sakura muttered lowering her head a little. Everyone started thinking, silence falling upon them. Not minutes later, Naruto spoke. "What was he after last time we saw him?" He asked, bringing everyone's attention to him.

"He wanted to fight Itachi-sensei because he wanted the…." Sakura trailed off, realization dawning down on her. It didn't take long for everyone to understand what she meant. "He wanted the Sharingan. That means he's after Itachi-sensei's younger brother." Gaara said looking at Naruto and Sakura. Naruto shook his head. "But Sasuke hasn't activated his Sharingan, yet." The blonde said frowning. "How do you know this, Naruto?" Kisame asked narrowing his eyes at him. "Sasuke was in the Genin team Tazuna had hired to protect him. Anyway, Naruto has a point. Sasuke doesn't have his Sharingan yet. How can Orochimaru take it if it's not there?" Sakura asked looking at Itachi.

"You can force the Sharingan to awaken if you're having a hard time in a battle. Maybe Orochimaru is planning on fighting Sasuke to awaken the Sharingan." Itachi considered. Naruto shook his head again. "But wait. Why would Orochimaru want the Sharingan if he's already one of the _**Densetsu no Sannin**_?" He asked, only adding more to the mystery. "Remember what he told Itachi-sensei before he fled?" Gaara asked him. Naruto thought back before shrugging. "He said something about becoming immortal so he could learn all of the jutsu in the world."

"With the Sharingan, he can copy any jutsu, even forbidden ones. Also, Sasuke's pretty young. Orochimaru would love getting his hands on him." Itachi said and Sakura gasped, her eyes widening. "You don't mean…He mastered _that_ jutsu?" She asked, making everyone's eyes widen. Itachi nodded his head and almost everyone in the room groaned. "Great, we have an immortal wanna-be on the loose." Naruto commented, every word dripping with sarcasm.

"That concludes it. Orochimaru's after Sasuke because of his body and Sharingan. This is not good. If he gets his hands on Sasuke, our plan of world peace is screwed, hm." Deidara said crossing his arms and frowning. "Right, Zetsu, go and gather information about the invasion." Pein ordered, looking at a plant-like man in the corner of the room. Zetsu nodded and vanished into the ground. "The rest of you, I want you to train as much as you can. We're not letting Orochimaru take the Sharingan nor are we letting him invade Konoha. _**Akuma no Buntai**_, you are to train this whole week and relax the next. I know you have jutsu and moves you are working on so I'm giving you a week to perfect them. You leave in two weeks. Good luck," Pein said, dismissing everyone. _'Something big is coming and I don't like it at all.'_

_(A/N: I'd like to thank all of you who reviewed last chapter and I'd also like to apologize for making you wait. You see, last weekend, the stores had dropped all taxes on school and office items and I couldn't let that go to waste. Plus, I wrote twice of what I wrote last chapter. I didn't feel like leaving you hanging in an Arc where we all know what's going to happen. As you can see, we focused more on Akuma no Buntai and Akatsuki in this chapter. Their plans are a little mixed up, seeing as Akatsuki is trying to help make world peace while Akuma no Buntai wants revenge on their villages. Anyway, onto the Glossary:_

_**Amaterasu- Technique used by Uchiha Itachi. Amaterasu, named for the Goddess of the Sun, is a Ninjutsu technique which uses the Mangekyou form of the Sharingan eye to create a powerful black fire. This jutsu is generated by the right Mangekyou eye. It has been said that anything within the Mangekyou's vision will burn to ash if consumed by the fire. The fire itself is said to burn for 7 days and 7 nights. Because of the amount of chakra needed to use the technique, it can only be used on a very limited basis daily. Though it is regarded as the strongest of Mangekyou's physical attacks, usage of the ability will degrade the eye further and lead the user to blindness.**_

_**Bauntifōsuchīmu- Bounty Force Team**_

_**Densetsu no Sannin- Three Legendary Ninja. The group consists of Jiraiya, Senju Tsunade and Orochimaru**_

_**Fōsuchīmu ni hantai- Opposing Force Team**_

_**Geijutsu-tekina chīmu- Artistic Team**_

_**Kai- Release**_

_**Katagawa no Jotai- One-Tailed State**_

_**Katon: Goukkakyou no jutsu- Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu is a Ninjutsu technique utilizing the Fire Element. The ninja does the necessary hand seals, draws chakra from their mouth into their chest and then immediately exhales it. They then blow a stream of fire which erupts into a large sphere of flames. To better manage the flames the ninja will bring their hand to their mouth to control it. Katon jutsu such as this are seen as a rite of passage into adulthood for Uchiha clan members. Once the member can manipulate fire, they are finally recognized as no longer being a child.**_

_**Kawarimi no jutsu- Substitution Jutsu**_

_**Kiri no Shinobigatana no Shichininshu- Seven Swordsmen if the Mist**_

_**Kirigakure no Jutsu- Hidden Mist Jutsu**_

_**Kubikiri Hocho- Beheading Cleaver; Zabuza's weapon**_

_**Mangekyou Sharingan- The last stage of the Sharingan and only two people have been able to obtain it. Not much is known as of now.**_

_**Oni Kyodai- Demon Brothers**_

_**Otogakure- Hidden Sound Village**_

_**Sabaku Rou- Desert Prison**_

_**Sabaku Sousou- Desert Funeral**_

_**Sharingan no Kakashi- Kakashi the Copy-Cat**_

_**Suiro no Jutsu- Water Prison**_

_**Suiton: Daibakufu no jutsu- Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu is a Ninjutsu technique utilizing the Water Element. After doing the needed hand seals a column of water will circle the ninja and then a large force of water will erupt to hit the attacker. Due to the force of the water the target will be fully enveloped by the water and at its mercy as is pulls them away.**_

_**Tengoku no chīmu- Heavenly Team**_

_**Tsukyomi- Technique used by Uchiha Itachi. Not much is known of the technique.**_

_**Zettai Bogyo- Ultimate Defence**_

_Thanks again and I will try to update faster,_

_7__th__ Creature_


	4. Exams

_Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki….Two Weeks Later_

Sakura, Naruto, Gaara and Konan made their way to Konohagakure at a slow pace. They weren't in much of a hurry. After all, Pein had given them last week to relax but they only got to relax yesterday after packing everything. They trained both weeks and improved a lot. They had started using weights again and were wearing them this instant. Naruto had them on his upper arms, under his shirt and under his pants, just a little above his ninja sandals. Gaara had them on his wrists but they looked like bracelets and he had two more on his boots. Sakura had hers in a style similar to Gaara's but they were over her fishnet instead of under. The other weights were inside her boots. The weights were easy to use. Their weight increases or decreases depending on how much chakra you channel into them when you first put them on. The get rid of their weight just release the chakra in them and they will feel as if they weren't even there. Right now, the kids had eighty extra pounds on them, twenty pounds on each weight.

Their attires really hadn't changed much except for the few traveling accessories. Gaara now had a sheathed katana strapped to his lower back. He had two more traveling packs, one filled with necessary items such as kunai, shuriken or paper bombs and the other filled with his special sand. He had a small backpack on his shoulders. Naruto had an extra sheathed katana across his back and a backpack strapped across his upper body. Sakura had a special sheathed kunai at her lower back and one more pack on her weapon belt. She also had a backpack similar to Gaara's. She had changed her tank top for a red zip-up vest. Konan only had a backpack with her and a kunai pouch on her right thigh.

Just as Pein had promised, he had given them half of the money they had gathered in Gato's warehouse. They hadn't used it yet, except for the Guys' Night Out the Akatsuki male members had and the spa treatment Sakura and Konan had gotten. Also, Naruto and Sakura had gone out on a date. And with all of that, they still had over half of the money left. Of course, they will need it, after the accident they had while training last week. They needed new _**Chakra no Shizen Buredo**_. They broke after the three had met in the middle of charging. It was mainly Naruto's fault, actually. Gaara and Sakura had been blade-to-blade when Naruto decided to come out of his hiding spot and attack them. Gaara and Sakura had no time to react so they just met their blades with his and an explosion followed their moves. The blades had broken at the moment of impact because of the massive chakras fighting each other. That led to the chakras impacting each other freely instead of having a container to hold them back and control them. Seeing as Gaara had been using his Doton chakra, Naruto had been using his Futon chakra and Sakura was using Katon chakra, the explosion was even more intense. The boys had spent a night at the hospital because of their fast healing but Sakura had spent three. The training ground was still undergoing reconstruction when they had left Amegakure. Pein hadn't been happy but he understood and just brushed them off with a penalty of doing D-rank missions for two weeks when they got back, Chunin or not.

Their train of thought was interrupted when they saw the massive Front gates of Konoha. Naruto and Sakura looked hesitant but their feet kept them going. Gaara looked at them and smiled, something that didn't happen very often but often enough that it wasn't much of a surprise to them. His smile gave them more courage and they picked up their pace to join Konan and Gaara.

The closer they got, the more frantic their steps became. When they got to the gates and met the guards, the two already wanted to go back to Ame. Konan smiled at them as they handed them their ninja IDs back. They started walking into the village. The two former Konoha kids looked around, memories of their past hitting them tenfold. Gaara nudged both of them, letting them know that he was there for them. They smiled at him then grinned when he smirked back. They focused on trying to find the Inn they were staying at.

When they found their Inn, checked in and organized their stuff in the room, they looked around. Three beds, Pein had only paid for a room with three beds because the rooms with four or two were all booked in this Inn. But that was fine. It only meant more fun for the Genin. The four looked at each other, silence overcoming the room.

"This bites," Naruto muttered as he looked at the beds. "It's obvious Konan-nee-chan is going to have her own bed but what about us?" Gaara asked as he looked at his teammates. Naruto and Sakura looked at each other and shrugged both silently agreeing on the decision. "I don't see any harm in us sleeping in the same bed. After all, we are dating. Besides, we've been living with each other for seven years, it's happened before." Sakura reasoned, though, the real reason she wanted to sleep with Naruto was because he slept without a shirt. Of course, they didn't need to know that.

Gaara nodded, though he already knew that was going to happen. "All right, then. Since that's settled, why don't we go get those _**Chakra no Shizen Buredo**_? If we run into Orochimaru and we don't have them, we might not stand a chance." Naruto said as he headed for the door. "Weren't you the one with cold feet at the thought of coming here? Now you want to go out there and buy weapons?" Gaara asked as he followed the blonde.

Sakura turned to Konan as the two started arguing. "We can go, right?" She asked, actually having some manners in asking if it was all right for them to go out. "Yes, just don't get into any trouble. Have your earphones set at the frequency of one fifty at all times. I'll be listening in on every conversation you guys make. Why don't you go get dinner in the meantime as well? I'm going to be around the village looking for any signs of Orochimaru. Keep your eyes open, too." Konan said with a nod. Sakura nodded back then followed her teammates out of the room and onto the streets of Konoha.

They looked around for a while, trying to find the Ninja Equipment shop. They found it after fifteen minutes of looking. It wasn't full, something they had not expected, seeing as there were many Genin participating in the Exams this year. _'I guess everyone brought their own equipment,'_Sakura thought as they approached the counter.

"You sell _**Chakra no Shizen Buredo**_here, right?" Sakura asked the shop owner. He nodded as he looked over them. "We need three, please." Sakura said, causing the man to raise his eyebrow. "I'll need to see Ninja ID." He told them with a glance at their Hitaiate. They handed him their IDs and the man looked them over, slightly stopping when he saw Sakura's last name. He glanced at her then gave them their IDs. "I'll be right back," He left to the back of the store to get the blades. Gaara and Naruto started looking around while Sakura waited patiently at the counter.

"Sakura-chan, look at what I found!" Naruto yelled at her from an aisle. Sakura glanced at the door leading to the back before making her way towards her boyfriend. He was holding a pair of brass knuckles. "You would definitely break a jaw or two with these babies." Naruto commented as he turned them over, examining them. "If I could learn Tsunade-sama's technique then these would knock the shit out of anyone." Sakura said as she looked over them. "Oh, yeah, that'd be awesome," The blonde said with a grin.

He looked up at the wall and frowned. Sakura noticed his grin fall and looked up. There were multiple kunai hanging on the wall. The one that caught their attention, however, was the three-bladed one right in front of them. Naruto put down the brass knuckles and took the kunai in his hands. It was lighter than he had imagined. He looked at a bull's-eye board on the wall and threw the kunai. The kunai hit the very centre of the board. It was a lot more accurate than the normal kunai, too. Gaara had seen Naruto throw the kunai and had walked over to them. His eyes widened when he looked at the kunai in Naruto's hands. "Is that….?"

"Yeah, that's it. Figures Konoha would be the only one selling these kind of kunai." Naruto said putting it back on the wall. "Are you getting it?" Sakura asked, looking at him. Naruto frowned and shook his head, staring at the weapon. "No, I'm not following in my father's footsteps. The _**Hiraishin**_ belonged to my father and my father only. I've no interest in speed but rather Fuinjutsu." Naruto said as they walked back to the counter. The man came back with a notepad and pen. "But the _**Hiraishin**_has many complex seals. You may not want to learn it but you can study it and make your own jutsu." Sakura said with a raised brow. "Possibly but I'm nowhere near that kind of mastery. I'd rather leave it alone and not get confused in all of the mess." Naruto said with a shrug.

They turned to the man as he leaned on the counter, having listened in on their conversation. "All right, unfortunately, I don't have any in store because not many people buy them and when they do, they ask the blacksmiths to do it for them. Now, I can do this for you. Give me the kind of designs you three want on the blades and I'll have them ready for you in a week. Do you guys have any experience using them?" The man explained narrowing his eyes at them, especially at Sakura.

"Yeah, we had some but we had an accident while training and they broke. If it's no problem, could you have a look at them?" Naruto said, grabbing the katana on his right shoulder and showing it to him. It was broken down the middle and a crack was on blade down to the hilt. The man grabbed it and examined it, nodding every once in a while. He handed it back to Naruto with a frown. "This blade was weak. You see the crack here?" He ran his finger over the crack. "It means the chakra was slowly eating at the metal. Whatever accident you had while training was the boiling point and it broke apart. If you bought it from the same person, the rest are probably similar causes. How long have you had these blades?" The man asked as Naruto sheathed the katana.

"Approximately two years. Our sensei bought it for us six years ago but we never used them until two years ago." Sakura explained with a frown. Whoever had sold these katanas to Itachi had been either posers or weren't very good at making weapons.

"Okay. The crack also meant that you have a very strong chakra source and I think I know just what kind of blade I'll ask for you three. It'll cost more but it's worth the money." The man said as he looked at their thoughtful faces. Sakura nodded as she placed her hands on her hips. "Okay. We have enough money to cover for the costs, don't worry. Now, onto those designs…." Sakura trailed off as they started discussing the designs for the blades.

Almost an hour later, the three walked out of the shop with satisfied smirks. They had thought that they blades would have been more expensive. On the upright, the blades were guaranteed not to brake, even under the most extreme circumstances. And they were going to have their own design. They couldn't wait to see the results. They were to go back in one week to check them out. However, the bad thing about this is that the Exams started tomorrow and the Second Stage started an hour after the First Stage ended. Orochimaru is going to make an appearance during the Second Stage of the exams. If they had to fight him, it could get ugly. Orochimaru isn't a pushover, that's something they had learned over the years when he was a part of Akatsuki.

As they walked around the village, trying to find a place where they could have dinner, Naruto caught a familiar scent in the air. He turned to Sakura with a smirk. "Want to see your dear older sister?" He asked, smirking when she glared at him. "Where is she?"

"Up ahead, there are a few more people with her. Kota's there, too…" Naruto sniffed the air a few more times. "Three kids, three older Shinobi. One of the kids seems to be struggling and one of the older Shinobi is irritated." Naruto told them as they turned a corner. They stopped as soon as they laid eyes on the bunch. Two-thirds of Team Seven was there with three kids and three Sunagakure Shinobi. One of the Suna ninja was holding a kid by the front of the shirt.

"What should we do?" Naruto asked, not missing Gaara's tense shoulders as he looked at the Suna group. Sakura shrugged, watching the scene unfold. "They're going to find out sooner or later. Besides, those two don't look like pushovers." Sakura said as she narrowed her eyes at the brown haired Shinobi and his blonde teammate. The other was a _**Kunoichi**_who looked to be a few years younger than them.

"So, we interfere?" Gaara asked, taking his eyes off the bunch to look at his older sisterly figure. "Now, where would all of the fun be if we didn't?" Sakura asked as she smirked their way. They smirked back and started making their way to the bunch. They got close enough to listen into the conversation.

"What do you have to say for yourself, huh, _**Gaki**_?" The older Shinobi barked at the little kid. "Please, just let me go!" The kid told him, tears threatening to fall down his cheeks. "You bumped into me, you brat. You should say sorry." The teenager said glaring at him. _'That's it? Say sorry and it's over with? What's keeping the kid from doing so if it's so easy?'_Naruto thought with a frown. He got his answer right away.

A rock came in contact with the Shinobi's hand, startling him enough to let go of the boy. Everyone looked up at the tree, where Sasuke stood there leaning against it. "Leave or I'll be forced to kick you out. He has nothing to be sorry about." Sasuke ordered as if he ruled the world. Naruto scoffed loudly as they walked closer, bringing everyone's attention to them. "It would have been a lot easier if the kid just apologized. Correct me if I'm wrong but he was the one that ran into him," Naruto said pointing at the kid still on the ground then at the Suna Shinobi. "It's a waste of time and completely stupid to fight over a thing that could have been avoided by a simple apology."

Naruto stood in front of the whole group. Amaya's eyes landed on Sakura and they widened. The Suna Shinobi looked at Gaara, too stunned to say anything. The Ame ninja simply ignored their reactions. Sasuke, however, wasn't to about withstand being told off by a foreign ninja inside _their_home. Sakura turned to the kid, "Go. Let this be a warning for the next time it happens. Just apologize and you'll be on your way, safe and sound."

"Who do you think you are, going around ordering little kids?" Sasuke asked as the kid and his friends started leaving. They stopped and turned back to them, curious as to what was about to unfold. "Akuma no Buntai, at your service, your majesty." Naruto said with a roll of his eyes. The words were mocking, only fuelling the rage that burned inside the Uchiha. "Why you little-" Sasuke was interrupted by his own teammate.

"Wait, you guys are Akuma no Buntai? No way, you finally show your faces?" Kota asked, excitement showing on his face. "Yeah, why are you so excited?" Sakura asked raising her eyebrow. Her sister kept staring at her in disbelief. It was irritating her. "Because I finally get to thank you face to face, literally." Kota said grinning at them.

"Again, kid, it was no problem. It's our job," Naruto said waving it off. Suddenly, Sakura grabbed her ear, listening to what Konan was telling her. "Sensei wants us at the Inn, she brought dinner. She told me that we needed to discuss something." Sakura told her team with a stern stare. They instantly knew what Konan wanted to talk about: Orochimaru.

They turned to leave, only to be stopped by Sasuke jumping in front of them. The Suna Shinobi walked over to the Uchiha's side, followed by Amaya, who had snapped out of her shock when Sakura had spoken. "Now that we know what you look like, tell me your names." Sasuke demanded, glaring at them.

"Sabaku no Gaara,"

"Haruno Sakura,"

"Uzumaki Naruto,"

They started walking around them but were stopped again by the Suna ninja speaking. "Gaara, is that really you?" He asked in a low whisper, not believing his eyes. "Yes," Gaara answered without even looking at him. They started walking again only to be stopped, _again_, by Amaya this time. "Sakura, I thought you were dead." Amaya told her with a glare. She didn't feel any sadness or happiness but rather anger at the fact that she had probably been tricked.

"Sakura is dead. At least, the Sakura you know is." It sounded cheesy but it was the truth. The only ones she let have a glimpse of her older self are Naruto, Gaara and sometimes Itachi. The curious, nice little girl doesn't exist anymore. A demon filled with hatred and rage had taken that place. Sure, she was calm most of the time but no one, besides Naruto and Gaara who had similar experiences and thoughts, knew her deepest and most inner thoughts. The only time she showed love or kindness was to Gaara as his older sister-like figure and to Naruto as his girlfriend. Sure, she had her moments with some of the Akatsuki members but it wasn't very big. It usually consisted of a genuine smile whenever they made her feel better or helped her in her training.

Sakura's bored stare turned into a hard glare, startling Amaya and making Sasuke take a step back. The Suna ninja jumped back at the killer instinct Sakura was releasing. The ring around her pupils widened and took on a lighter colour. Taking the hint, both Naruto and Gaara closed their eyes. When they opened them, the outline was completely different. Naruto's eyes were bloodshot red with slits as pupils. Gaara's were completely black, save for the yellow pupil they had. Some minor changes on their faces had occurred, too. Gaara's rings around his eyes expanded. Naruto's whiskers became thicker. The three grew long fangs, making them sprout from under their closed lips.

"There is a reason why we're called Akuma no Buntai. Leave us alone, we've nothing to do with you. We may have saved your sorry asses in Nami but that doesn't mean we hold any compassion towards you. Move or I'll be forced to move you." Naruto said, his voice having taking a deeper tone, an almost demonic tone. The Suna ninja got out of their way quickly. It was Sasuke and Amaya who stayed in their places. Though shaken up by their demonic-like appearances, they didn't budge from their positions an inch.

Sakura smirked, her fangs showing. Gaara scoffed and rolled his eyes. Naruto frowned and looked away, placing his hands behind his head. "If you think you're going to take the Haruno clan's head position by scaring me, you've got something coming." Amaya barked at Sakura. Sasuke looked at his teammate then at the pink haired _**Kunoichi**_. Sakura rolled her eyes upwards, waving her sister off. That's when they all noticed the one inch claws Naruto and she had. "I'm not here to take that cursed position. I'm here to take the Chunin Exams. I'm not interested in leading this dump's Genjutsu clan, especially when I'm not into Genjutsu." Sakura closed her eyes then opened them again. The ring around the pupils had thinned and her fangs disappeared along with her claws.

"Now move out of our way. We have a meeting to attend," Gaara said as his eyes went back to normal. Naruto's eyes went back to their original blue and his facial features went back to normal. "Wait a minute, Gaara. How are you still alive?" The blonde Suna ninja asked. She was frowning, almost close to tears. "I was never killed. I left Sunagakure with these two and our Sensei." Gaara said, not even turning to her.

"Why don't we just _**Shunshin**_out of here?" Naruto asked, turning to his teammates. He was getting irritated. This little reunion was very unnecessary and he knew that they would meet later, so what's the point of it? Not only is he hungry, he's tired from walking twenty –four straight hours with only two breaks for meals. Then, there's the fact that they had to meet Konan. And she has food! That's it; he's leaving with or without them. He's starving and all he wants to do is lay down.

Naruto made a hand seal with a glare sent towards Sasuke. The blonde disappeared in a whirlwind, leaving his two teammates behind. "That's our cue," Gaara muttered, disappearing in an instant. Sand took his place on the ground. Sakura narrowed her eyes at Amaya one last time then made a hand seal. She disappeared in a whirlwind, very similar to Naruto's leave.

"Damn it, I have to go tell Tou-san." Amaya turned around to start running to her house. Sasuke and Kota looked at each other before going to follow her. The Suna ninja turned around to go tell their sensei. That left the kids to stand around, very confused as to what just happened.

_Haruno Residence…..A Few Minutes Later_

"Tou-san, Tou-san!" Amaya burst through her front door, Sasuke and Kota following her. Haiiro looked up from his report as he watched his eldest daughter run up to him with her teammates. "Amaya, how many times have I told you not to come home yelling-"

"Sakura's alive!" Amaya interrupted him. He had looked back at his work, only to look back up after he heard her. Keiko, who had been in the kitchen cooking with Hitomi and had heard her daughter's frantic screams, ran into the dining room when she heard the news. "What," Haiiro yelled, standing up from the chair abruptly. "Yeah, I just saw her. She's alive and here for the Chunin Exams." Amaya quickly said as she watched her father carefully. She knew he was going to blow at any time.

Hitomi wanted to ask who they were talking about but decided to stay quiet as she knew her father would yell at her. "No, no, this can't be happening. The Hokage said she died two years after she left…." Haiiro started pacing around as everyone watched him. He suddenly looked at Amaya, his eyes burning. "Where is she?"

"I don't know. She left to go meet her Sensei or something. They seemed in a hurry." Amaya said with a shrug. Haiiro walked to the front door and started putting his ninja sandals on. "Haiiro, what are you going to do?" Keiko asked as she watched her husband reach for the door. "I'm going to make sure she's dead." Haiiro said harshly as he slammed the door shut.

_Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki…..A Few Minutes Earlier_

"What is it, Konan-nee-chan?" Sakura asked as she appeared inside their room. By the slurping sounds coming from the bed, Naruto was already devouring his dinner. Konan looked at her as she sat down by her boyfriend. "Orochimaru is not in the village, yet. It means there's more of a chance that he really is attacking during the second phase." Konan explained with a frown.

Sakura nodded as she took the top off her bowl of ramen and started eating. She remembered Gaara's slight hesitation when they had met up with the bunch earlier. "Hey, Gaara, what was bothering you earlier? Did you know those ninja?" She asked turning around to face him. Gaara tensed as he stopped chewing. His eyes met hers. He sighed through his nose and swallowed the food in his mouth. He put his bowl by him as he looked at them. They were waiting for him patiently.

"The guy is my older brother Kankuro. The blonde one is our older sister Temari. I don't know about the other one." And that was the end of that conversation. Naruto and Sakura understood. They sometimes didn't like to talk about their pasts, either. It was exactly the same with Gaara, only worse. His father tried to kill him, for Kami''s sake. It was understandable that the younger boy didn't want to talk about it much.

Naruto lay back, patting his stomach. "Hmm, I'm full." He closed his eyes and turned on his side. Gaara rolled his eyes as he lay back on his bed. His eyes trailed the patterns on the ceiling. Sakura soon finished her dinner and laid down by her boyfriend, her back to his. Konan watched them before standing up and walking to the door, leaving them alone.

As soon as Konan left, Naruto raised his head to make sure she's gone. When he smelled that she was out of the Inn, he turned to Sakura and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer. Sakura let him as she snuggled into her pillow. They were both drifting off to unconsciousness when the blonde remembered Gaara. He sat up and rummaged through his bag, grinning apologetically at the red head. Gaara shook his head as he changed into his nightwear, which consisted of a black tank top and boxers.

Naruto found what he was looking for and walked over to Gaara, placing a seal on his now exposed shoulder. Naruto bit his thumb and ran it over the seal. The seal shined lightly before the light diminished. "Night, Gaara." Naruto formed a hand sign. "Good night, you two." Gaara said as Naruto muttered, "Kai," and lay back as unconsciousness consumed him.

Sakura had watched the whole exchange with a slight smile on her face.

Gaara wasn't able to sleep at nights because the Shukaku inside of him wouldn't let him. Naruto and Sakura had noticed a month after living with him when Itachi told them about it. The two wanted to find a way to help him because they knew how hard it was to stay awake for more than two days straight. There was no jutsu that would get him to sleep unless he would tire himself out completely, and they all knew that was impossible. When Itachi taught them about the gravity and weight seals, Naruto took an interest in Fuinjutsu. After going berserk with the Kyuubi's power during training, Naruto made a seal to compress its power whenever you put it on him. It worked. He then thought about Gaara's sleeping dilemma and started researching, trying to come up with a solution.

He did, last year. When activating the seal with his blood, the part of the brain connecting Gaara's dreams and thoughts with the Shukaku's is disabled, leaving Gaara to have a peaceful and dreamless sleep. The connection is enabled when Naruto releases the seal. Gaara starts having nightmares after the seal is released, making him wake up soon after. This seal is temporary, however. Naruto is working on making a permanent one. A seal that doesn't need to be activated or released, a seal that would let Gaara sleep and wake up whenever he needs or wants to.

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a hand caress her cheek. She looked at Naruto, who was now shirtless and in his boxers. "Are you going to change or what?" Naruto asked, smirking when she glared at him and slapped his hand away. Sakura got up and went into the bathroom, locking the door, knowing that Naruto would be perverted enough to go in there while she's changing. She took off her ninja clothes and her bindings off her chest. She changed into a black tank top and white shorts.

Sakura came out of the bathroom to find Naruto already asleep and sprawled all over their bed. Sighing at his stupidity, she walked over to the bed and just stood there, watching him sleep. He had drool running down the corner of his lip, making her smirk at him. "I know you're awake. No one can fall asleep that fast, especially not you." Sakura frowned when Naruto mock-grinned at her with his eyes closed. He opened one eye and narrowed it at her. "Nice,"

She rolled her eyes and pushed him off, making him fall to the floor with a loud thud. Sakura lay down on her side of the bed, turning her back to her groaning teammate. "Sometimes I wonder where the hell you get your inhuman strength from." Naruto growled as he stood up and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his forehead. Sakura ignored him, faking her slight snores. Naruto rolled his eyes, "Please, you don't snore." He lies down and puts one arm under her, wrapping it around her waist. He grabbed the blankets at the end of the bed with his free hand and pulled them over themselves. He put his other hand low on her hip and brought her closer. Sakura only smirked and reached over to turn off the lamp by their bed.

_Team Seven…..Next Morning_

Amaya, Sasuke and Kota walked into the room, only to stop when every single eye turned to them. They froze, completely paralyzed under their competitions' gaze. They stared back, Amaya and Kota showing their nervousness and fear. Sasuke kept that cool and collected attitude about him as he shoved his trembling hands into his pockets. Almost everyone turned away from them when they thought they were easy prey and not worth their time. Those who did turn away were clearly mistaking, Akuma no Buntai thought as they sat down at one of the tables in the room.

They had been one of the teams that got there extra early. They didn't get there early to seize up their competition like others did. They were there to see if there were any clues leading to Orochimaru being here. So far, there was only that team from Otogakure and Kabuto posing as a Konohagakure ninja. They knew he was Orochimaru's right-hand so it was highly possible that Orochimaru was very close. He used to be an Akatsuki spy, until Sasori's connection with him got severed by Orochimaru himself.

Their attention was deprived from their thoughts when a loud voice greeted Team Seven.

"Well, well, it looks like the whole Rookie bunch is here." A boy with a hooded grey jacket said approaching the trio. "Inuzuka Kiba, a surprise to see you here." Sasuke said with a smirk. Kiba glared at him, baring his fangs. A bark was heard and a dog popped his head out of Kiba's hood, growling at the Uchiha. A boy with glasses and a girl with white eyes followed behind Kiba.

"The Byakugan," Sakura whispered over to her teammates. Gaara and Naruto nodded as they watched the scene unfold.

Another team walked up to them, a brunette yawning before he talked. "You guys are so troublesome, you're making a scene." He said as he leaned against the wall. "Shut up, Shikamaru. This is none of your business." Kiba growled at the Nara. Shikamaru rolled his eyes and looked away. A chubby goy eating chips chuckled at his teammates antics before devouring the rest of the bag. A girl suddenly attacked Sasuke from the back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Hey there, Sasuke-kun, you missed me?" She asked with a giggle. Sasuke glared at her, telling her to get off him but he didn't make a move to get her off.

"Fan girl alert, fan girl alert," Naruto said, making circles with his index finger as if it were an alarm going off. Sakura nudged him in the ribs while Gaara shook his head at the scene the Rookies were making. New guys were always a pain in the ass, Gaara thought as his eyes left the three teams and went over to look at his siblings. '_At least they know what to do,'_Gaara though with a frown. He looked away when Kankuro looked at him.

"Oi, Ino, get your filthy hands off Sasuke-kun." Amaya screeched as she tried to get Ino off Sasuke. A cough was heard, bringing everyone's attention to a man with silver hair tied in a ponytail with glasses. _'It's Yakushi Kabuto,'_Sakura and Naruto thought, growling under their breaths. Gaara only glared at him, gritting his teeth.

"I wouldn't cause such a scene if I were you. Some guys here are tough and would jump at the opportunity of weak prey." Kabuto said, smiling at them. The three teams looked around, seeing everyone staring at them.

"This is a pain in the ass," Shikamaru turned away, wanting these exams to finish so he could go home and sleep. "Who are you?" Sasuke asked, staring at his Hitaiate. "I'm Yakushi Kabuto, at your service." Kabuto introduced himself with a hidden smirk. He pushed his glasses up, covering his smirk with the palm of his hand. "I'm serious. You guys shouldn't attract so much attention, it's very bad. Trust me; I've taken these exams seven times." Kabuto explained kneeling down on the floor.

"It means you have experience then. Got any tips you can give us?" Kiba asked, the dog barking in agreement. "Not really. These exams change every year. However," Kabuto continued after seeing their frowns. "I can give you information on statistics of the exams." Kabuto said as he pulled out a card from the deck and pumped chakra into it. A map of the continent appeared on the card. "There are ninja from all of the hidden villages participating this year. There are various amounts of teams participating, except for Otogakure. Only one team is taking these exams, making me think they're pretty weak." Kabuto put away the card into the stack and slid it over to them. "I can also get information on anyone who's taking these exams. Just give me a name and I'll have everything from them. Got anyone in mind?" Kabuto said taking out a deck of cards. Not bothering in finding out how he knew, Sasuke called out names. "I want information on Sabaku no Gaara, Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura. They're all from Amegakure."

Kabuto frowned inwardly. _'They're here? I must tell Orochimaru-sama right after this,'_Kabuto thought as he pumped chakra into a card facing up. Gaara's picture and status came up. "Let's see. Sabaku no Gaara, he was born in Sunagakure and is twelve years old. His teammates are Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto. They have no permanent sensei; however, their current one is Konan of Ame. Along with his team, he's done four S-ranked missions, twenty-one A-ranks, fifteen B-ranks, thirty C-ranks and seven D-ranks as Genin. With others, he's done Two S-ranks, ten A-ranks and six B-ranks. Check this: Out of all of the missions he's gone on, he's come out injured in only five." Kabuto informed with a surprised smile.

"He's only been injured during five missions?" Amaya asked, not believing it. Her eyes quickly scanned the room for him but she didn't find him or his team. "Yeah, pretty amazing, huh? Anyway, he's highly skilled at Ninjutsu, he's low Jonin in his Taijutsu and his Genjutsu is unknown. He also acts as the defence in the missions he's been on." Kabuto finished and flipped the card, putting it back in the deck. He flipped the one at the top and added chakra to it. Sakura's picture came up along with her information. Amaya paid close attention to this one.

"Haruno Sakura, she was born in Konohagakure and is thirteen years old. Her teammates are Uzumaki Naruto and Sabaku no Gaara. You guys already know who her team leader is and how many missions she's done with her team. With others, she's done five S-ranks, two A-ranks, nineteen B-ranks and three C-ranks. She's highly skilled at Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and Taijutsu. She also focuses on Medical Ninjutsu. She's led most of the missions she's been on and has only failed at ten. Says here she will occasionally help out at the Amegakure Hospital whenever she can. She's the tactician and brains when it comes to the missions."

"Uzumaki Naruto, he was born in Konohagakure and is thirteen years old. With others, he has done three S-ranks, eleven A-ranks and two B-ranks. His Ninjutsu is off the charts and he's highly skilled at Taijutsu. He's very weak at Genjutsu compared to his other abilities, only at low Chunin. He's skilled at Fuinjutsu and Kenjutsu. He's been the offense in most missions he's been on because of his aggressive fighting style and the fact that he likes to play with his victims. Because of this, he's always the one who comes out seriously injured during missions." Kabuto finished then took out another car, showing the team's whole outlook.

"Their team is called Akuma no Buntai mainly because when angered, they will take on demonic-like features and like to play with their 'prey'. They've been together for approximately six years and have been Genin for five. They have great teamwork and never back down from a fight. With Sakura as their leader most of the time, they have only failed three missions, those missions including two A-ranks and one B-rank. They are all master of Kenjutsu and use their affinities frequently when fighting. Although each individual may be ranked at a high B-rank ninja, the team together can be marked as S-ranked." Kabuto put away his cards and looked at the group of Rookies.

"I would try to avoid them if I were you. If these are facts, then you'd be in for the beating of your life." Kabuto suggested as he stood up. _'Trust me, I've been there and done that. They're brutal when they want to be,'_Kabuto thought with a slight shudder, remembering the fight had with them. If he hadn't used that smoke bomb and potion to cover himself and his smell, he probably would have died. And the fact that Hidan and Sasori had shown up to help them at that instant hadn't help him.

He felt the air shift in the room, something almost everyone missed, almost everyone. Sakura, Naruto and Gaara had felt it move and they moved, too.

If Naruto hadn't blocked the hit with his regular katana, Kabuto wouldn't have a head right now. Sakura grabbed the Oto _**Kunoichi**_by her hair and pulled her back. She kicked the back of her knee and pushed her to the floor, holding her in a headlock. Gaara's sand grabbed the other guy with the spiky hair with his sand and slammed him into the floor, his sand holding him there as Gaara walked forward to join his team. The guy that had attempted at taking Kabuto's head off pushed on Naruto's katana only to be pushed back and kicked in the stomach. Naruto used the moment when the guy went to hold his stomach to his advantage. He grabbed the guy's shoulders and rammed his knee into his stomach again. The blonde then used his elbow to hit him in the back of his neck, bringing him to his knees. Naruto then went behind him and grabbed his head, pressing his katana against his neck.

Everything had happened so fast that the Rookie Genin didn't have any idea what was going on until it ended. Kabuto sighed, playing his part in being the victim. Inside, he was freaking out. _'They got better and faster. They could be a problem in Orochimaru-sama's plans.' _He thought as he pushed up his glasses. He flinched visibly when Sakura looked at him. Playing her role of hero, Sakura asked, "Are you okay?" Her eyes betrayed her 'concern' for his safety. He could tell that they knew. "Y-Yeah, thank you." Kabuto breathed a sigh of relief when they took their eyes away from him.

"Why did you attack?" Naruto asked the guy under him. "To show this loser that Otogakure isn't as weak village." The guy being held by Gaara's sand barked, glaring at Kabuto. Naruto, Sakura and Gaara looked at each other and let them go, shrugging in the process. "We haven't been given any rules, yet. Stop being so proud, you'll get in trouble." Sakura said, narrowing her eyes at the Oto team. _'If this is the best Otogakure's got, Orochimaru really has a few bolts loose in his head.'_Sakura thought as she turned to Kabuto. "And try not to insult a village. It could possibly get you killed here."

Before Kabuto could respond, a cloud of smoke appeared at the front of the room. "All right, ya' wimps, that's enough fooling around!" The smoke cleared, revealing a Tokubetsu Jonin with a few Chunin. Everyone turned to them and most ninja cowered in fear. The Jonin had scars running along his jaws and cheekbones. He was glaring at the Genin in the back, mainly the Rookie bunch, the Oto Nin, the Ame Nin and Kabuto. His eyes landed on the Otogakure team and his frown deepened.

"I haven't given any order to attack fellow ninja. Watch your next moves, I could disqualify you from the Exams." He barked at them. The guy Naruto had been holding bowed his head in mock respect before vanishing into the crowd of Shinobi with his team. The Jonin then looked at the Amegakure ninja and smirked. "I like you guys. But any more fooling around and I'll have your head."

Naruto raised his brow, not really intimidated by the stare. He's met the Kyuubi in his mind scape and the fur ball has threatened him more times than he can count. After you've met the strongest being in the entire continent countless of times and managed to control a small part of him, you don't really get intimidated by anything else. Except Sakura, now there's a scary demon but he wasn't going to say that aloud. She'll beat him into a bloody pulp.

Gaara and Sakura, on the other hand, just nodded their heads as Naruto put away his katana. It's not that they were intimidated. No, they weren't at all. Itachi's scarier than him. He's put them in thousands of Genjutsu, Genjutsu that would have driven anyone else to insanity. The fact that Orochimaru was probably going to show up in the second phase of these exams kept them in place and willing to follow any kind of order.

"You've been given numbers when you entered the room. Match your numbers with the ones at the table and sit down. I'll be giving instructions soon." The Jonin said as he went over to the blackboard. The Chunin with him went to sit down at the chairs on each side of the room.

Once everyone had sat down and the Jonin had introduced himself as Morino Ibiki, he began giving the rules. They are to answer the nine questions written on the paper in fifty minutes. The points of all team members will be added together to determine who passes. Whoever was caught cheating three times was out along with their teammates. That's why the Chunin were there, to watch the candidates. The tenth question was going to be given the last ten minutes of the hour. Ibiki told the candidates to begin their tests.

Sakura quickly began to write down her answers. Gaara used his _**Daisan no Me**_ to secretly copy off her. He then wrote down the answers. He sent sand to Naruto's paper to give him the answers, knowing that the blonde hated written tests and would probably freak out if he couldn't answer the questions. Naruto threw Gaara a grateful glance before copying down the answers quickly. He caught a glance of the ninja sitting by him and looked up. It was that girl with the white eyes from earlier. She quickly looked away from him, a blush forming in her cheeks. Naruto wasn't stupid; he instantly knew she was attracted to him. _'I guess it's too bad for her that Sakura-chan and I love each other. Oh well, I'll tell Sakura-chan later. She might want to know this.'_Naruto thought going back to his paper.

As the hour passed by, teams were slowly but surely being kicked out of the room. By the end of the fifty minutes, only twenty-five teams remained.

Ibiki told them to put their pencils down and waited for their attention. "Now, I will give you the last question after I tell you all the rules for this one….I'll give you a choice. If you leave now, you along with your team will fail this test but you will be able to participate in the Chunin Exams next time. If you fail to answer this next question right, your team will be banned from taking the Chunin Exams ever again." Ibiki explained, receiving a few shouts and groans here and there.

"This isn't fair!" One Shinobi from _**Takigakure**_ yelled, standing up. A few agreements followed and Naruto got irritated. He stood up, glaring at the _**Taki**_Nin, "Life's not fair. Now deal with it, you little cock-"

"That's enough!" Ibiki barked, breaking up the upcoming argument and the blonde's insults. Ibiki glanced at the glaring blonde before narrowing his eyes at the bunch that passed the first part of this phase. "You have five minutes to decide. Leave or possibly fail." Ibiki looked around the room as a tense silence followed. Soon, it was down to twenty teams in the room. Ibiki smirked at the numbers, happy with his work. From a hundred and twenty Genin, he narrowed the number down to sixty. He got rid of half of the numbers. And he was proud to see that most of those teams were from Konohagakure.

"This is the final number, huh?" Ibiki asked, more to himself than anybody else. He grinned at them, confusing almost everyone in the room. "Congratulations, you guys pass." Silence filled the room, followed by an uproar. "What do you mean we pass? The hell's going on here?" A _**Kusagakure**_ninja bellowed as a few of them stood up.

Ibiki chuckled, his grin never leaving his face. "You stayed until the end. Your determination to continue didn't waver."

Sakura suddenly grinned, leaning back in her chair. "I get it now." Her pleased tone brought everyone's attention to her. "I already knew that our main goal was to collect information from someone else, thus you making such a big deal about cheating. What I didn't get was why was it so important to collect information during an exam or have a tenth and final question when the whole ordeal was just espionage. You made it seem as it was the big tenth question that mattered when in reality it was us getting information from someone else, leading everyone to cheat frantically so they could get to the last question. Don't get me wrong, the last question mattered, too. It was to see if you would sacrifice everything to get to the end."

"These exams prepare you to lead a team and possibly go on missions to collect important scrolls. Those scrolls might not be in your hands but rather the enemy's hands. You need to find a vulnerable spot and collect that data without being spotted and try to flee with it. If you're caught or made it through, you still need to get the information to the source, meaning you need to stay determined and not let anything stand in the way. You might need to sacrifice a few things to get the mission done successfully." Sakura explained. She had been looking straight into Ibiki's eyes the whole time.

"Looks like Ame has good ninja, after all." Ibiki said with a nod. "She's right. This whole exam determines if you're good at collecting information without getting caught and see if you would sacrifice everything to bet that you made it safely. Congratulations. I wish you all good luck in the next phase of the-" Ibiki didn't get to finish as someone crashed through the window and landed in front of Ibiki. Whoever it was threw four kunai, which embedded them in the floor and kunai to hold up a banner. The banner read: Sexy Chunin Exam Proctor Mitarashi Anko.

A woman with black-purple hair in a bun and a trench coat grinned at them as she struck a pose in front of the banner. "All right, maggots, I'm-" The woman had started before being interrupted by Ibiki pulling down the banner. "-Early, as always, Anko." Ibiki continued, frowning at her. Anko grinned at him then looked over the room.

"Twenty teams? Ibiki, I think you've lost your touch." Anko said, her eyes landing on Sasuke and Amaya. "Or it could be a stronger batch this year." Ibiki suggested as he pulled the banner off, standing by Anko. "I'd say," Anko whispered to herself as she narrowed her eyes at the two prodigies. "Anyway, I'll cut the number in half during this phase. Maggots, meet me at the Training Grounds located on the fringes of Konohagakure in one hour. Don't be late." With that said, Anko disappeared. The Genin started filing out of the room as soon as she left.

Naruto and Sakura joined Gaara outside of the room and started walking out of the third floor. "What are we going to do now?" Naruto asked as they descended down the stairs. "Get lunch," Konan said as she met up with them at the end of the staircases. "You guys did pass, right?" She asked looking at their stoic faces. Naruto smirked at her. "Of course we passed, Konan-nee-chan. What else do you expect from us?"

Konan nodded at them and led them out of the academy.

_Shi no Mori…..An Hour Later_

Every passing Genin had gathered at the gates of the training grounds to take the Second part of the Chunin Exams. Anko sat on top of a booth, chewing happily on her dango. Sakura glared at her slightly, wishing it was her who was eating the dango at the moment. For some unknown reason, she always had a weak point with sweets. Only Naruto, Itachi and Gaara knew that, though. It was her biggest weakness. And now you could guess how Naruto got her to start dating him. No, he didn't bribe her with all of the sweets in Ame. He asked her out for lunch one day, stating that he would pay for the dango. They had enjoyed a training and mission free day and Sakura realized that she really did like Naruto. After a few more dates, they became boyfriend and girlfriend. Besides that kiss at Nami the other day, nothing major has happened between them.

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts when Anko finished her dango and jumped down from the booth. "All right, listen up. This place behind me is going to be the setting for this part of the exams. It's a training ground called _**Shi no Mori**_. Your objectives are to collect these two scrolls." Anko took out a white scroll with the kanji for 'Ten' and a brown scroll with the kanji for 'Chi'. "This is the _**Ten no Sho**_ and the _**Chi no Sho**_. You will be given one inside this booth here and when you enter the training area, you will find a team with the other scroll, steal it away from them by any means necessary and go to the centre of the training grounds where you will find a tower. You will wait for further instructions there."

"There are two simple rules. Rule number one: You cannot and will not enter the tower if one of your team members is missing or unconscious. Rule number two: Don't open the scrolls outside of the tower. You will be disqualified right away. You have five days to complete this task. Also, be careful in there. There are wild animals that like to eat humans." Anko said, smirking at the Genin. She took out a stack of papers and told one of them to pass it down. "What are these?" Kiba asked as he was handed one. "They're papers stating that I don't have any responsibility over anything if any of you die in there." Anko smiled sweetly, pointing behind her.

Kiba stared at her, eyes wide with sudden fear. Naruto saw this and smirked, shaking his head. "Konohagakure Ninja are wimps," He grabbed the stack that Sakura gave him, grabbed a paper and passed them Gaara. A kunai flew towards him but he jerked his head to the side, avoiding the hit completely. Anko appeared behind him and placed a kunai to his neck. "Cocky, are we? Well, not for long. I'll break down the numbers in less than half when I'm done here and I won't be shocked when it's your team." Anko said, licking his cheek. Naruto shuddered, not from disgust at the fact that it was an older woman but at the killer instinct Sakura seemed to be releasing towards Anko.

"Get away from him," Sakura growled, glaring at Anko. Though her eyes were normal, fangs were seen under her lips when she snarled. Then she smirked when Anko gasped. Naruto had made a **Kage** **Bunshin** when she was busy studying Sakura's appearance and killer instinct and had it press a kunai to her back. The kunai was placed somewhere where, if hit, she would be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of her life. Anko frowned then let go of Naruto. Naruto quickly walked over to Sakura, wiping his cheek with his shirt. Sakura stopped glaring as the **Kage** **Bunshin** disappeared and her fangs withdrew. _'Now I need to boil my face,'_ Naruto thought in disgust, finally kicking in the fact that she _licked_him.

Anko turned her back to them and smirked as she made her way towards the front. _'Ibiki was right. There are interesting people here this year.'_ She looked up to find a _**Kusa**_ ninja holding out her kunai at her. Anko thanked her and went back to the front. Sakura watched the exchanged, her eyes lingering on the _**Kusagakure**_ ninja. _'Orochimaru, I found you.'_ By the way that Naruto was looking at her, he had smelled the Sannin's wicked scent and knew he was here, too. "We found him, Konan-nee-chan. He's disguised as a _**Kusagakure**_ _**Kunoichi**_." Sakura whispered into her headset as Anko dismissed them to sign the forms. Konan answered back, telling them to keep an eye on Orochimaru. "You heard her. Naruto get familiar with his scent. Gaara snag a tracking seal on him. I'll try to register his chakra signature." Sakura commanded as they walked around the place. Naruto bit his thumb and ran it over a seal, the blood activating it. He handed it to Gaara, whose sand got it and put it on the Kusagakure silently and skilfully.

Sakura smirked as she signed her form, knowing full well that they had a lead on Orochimaru. Now, all they had to do is get both scrolls quickly and go after Orochimaru as soon as possible. If it's true that he's going after Sasuke, then they know the first place to look for. "Hey, Haruno," Speak of the devil and he appears.

"What is it, Sasuke?" Sakura asked, turning to him. Sasuke was holding his already signed form in his hand as he narrowed his eyes at her. "You're related to Amaya, right?" He asked and she had to roll her eyes. "Gee, what gave you that idea?"

"Why are you an Amegakure ninja, then? You're only my age." Sasuke asked, ignoring her sarcastic comment. "I left Konoha seven years ago. I was tired of being mistreated. I ended up in Ame. Why do you want to know?" Sakura asked crossing her arms. While she was talking to him, she started remembering the feel of his chakra signature. She'll probably need it in the not-so-far-off future. "Were you really trained by Itachi?" Sasuke asked, still ignoring her questions. "Yes, I was. What do you want?" Sakura was getting irritated by his questions. "I just wanted to see what he saw in you, rather than me." Sasuke said as he turned to walk away. "He probably saw the fact that I'm different from everyone else in my clan." Sakura answered, stopping Sasuke in mid-step. When Sasuke turned around to reply, Sakura was already with her teammates, discussing something.

"What did the duck ass want?" Naruto asked as she glared at Sasuke's back. "Don't worry about it. Is the seal secured?" Sakura grabbed their papers and started walking to the booth where they were going to get their scroll. "Yes, and he has no idea." Gaara answered as they waited in line to go into the booth. When they went in, they turned in their forms and got the _**Ten no Sho**_in return. Sakura handed it to Naruto, who sealed it away in the storage seal on his glove. They were given their gate number and quickly left to their rightful place.

Anko waited until all of the teams were at their gates before speaking through a microphone. "Okay, you're all situated a hundred miles from the tower. Remember, the tower is not located directly in front of you. That means you're going to have to find it on your own. You have five days to get both scrolls and get there. Get ready and….start!" Anko gave the signal, all of the gates opening as soon as she stopped talking. "This is going to be fun." She chuckled as she was brought a plate of dango.

_Kitsune, Ryu and Tanuki….._

"What's the plan?" Naruto asked once they were in the training grounds. The gates had closed behind them, meaning there was no way out but to go to the tower. "We need to find a weak team, get their scroll and go locate Orochimaru. We'll see what happens then." They took off as soon as Sakura finished her command.

Not an hour later, they had the _**Chi no Sho**_with them.

They had ran into the only _**Takigakure**_ team having made it this far. It was the team of the _**Takigakure**_ninja who had said that the first exam wasn't fair. Naruto immediately called dibs on killing him. It wasn't so hard. The group was so focused in planning out their strategy that they didn't sense the three approaching. Sakura took on the female ninja, who had managed to dodge her kunai but couldn't had avoided the katana slicing her right arm off clean, which had been reaching for a kunai. While the Kunoichi was screaming her lungs out at the pain, Sakura silenced her screams with a kunai to the throat.

Gaara's kill had been easy as well. He had used his _**Sabaku Kyuu**_ and Sabaku Sousou technique to trap and crush his opponent. Naruto, however, decided to play with the _**Takigakure**_ ninja for a while. Sakura and Gaara watched him, Sakura covered in her enemy's blood. Naruto ran his katana down the ninja's chest, grinning like madman. "The Exams weren't fair, huh?" Naruto asked, fangs showing. The _**Taki**_ ninja gulped audibly, trying to back up. He bumped into Gaara then tried to crawl to the side but was stopped by Sakura. He saw his teammates' bodies then looked up at the blood-covered _**Kunoichi**_. His temper got to the better of him as he glared at the blonde. He stood up, cocking his fist backwards and yelling out in rage.

Naruto raised his brow, cocking his head to the side. The guy was willing to fight for his teammates. He liked that. But it wasn't good enough for him. Naruto stabbed his katana through his stomach, earning a groan of pain. "Where's the scroll?" Naruto asked while licking his enlarged canines. The Shinobi didn't answer but rather he glared. Naruto twisted his wrist, making the katana twist inside the young man's stomach. This brought forth a cry of pain. Naruto chuckled, "Where's the scroll?" His eyes had taken a hint of red, becoming slightly purple.

"She has it," The Shinobi stuttered, pointing over at his _**Kunoichi**_ teammate. Sakura knelt down and started rummaging through her pack. She found the _**Chi no Sho**_in the young woman's back pouch. "Lucky us, it's the one we need. Let's go, you two. We need to find Orochimaru." Sakura looked up at them.

Naruto shrugged and pulled out his katana out of the ninja's stomach. A fast slice through the neck ended his life. Sakura gave the scroll to Gaara, who put it away in the storage seal in his glove. It was better to have both scrolls separated rather than have them together. Though it was doubtful, a stronger opponent could come and steal both scrolls if they had them together.

The three then had proceeded to look at some bushes. They knew Kiba's team was hiding behind those bushes and had just witnessed them killing those _**Takigakure**_ninja. It didn't matter, though, because they knew they were too scared shitless to fight them. They had taken off afterwards.

Now, they were on their way to Sasuke's team. Orochimaru was close to them, very close. He would be attacking them pretty soon, Naruto could smell it. But they were too far away to even prevent the fight. And even if they could prevent it, they can't interfere. Pein's orders were crystal clear. They couldn't attack or make any contact with Orochimaru unless absolutely necessary. If Orochimaru was really after Sasuke's Sharingan, he wouldn't kill him. It's highly doubtful but if Orochimaru was after Amaya or Kota, they wouldn't interfere, either. Rules were to be followed and, at the moment, the most important thing is to get rid of the most evil man in all of the Five Great Countries: Orochimaru and possibly Kabuto.

Naruto stopped at a tree branch and started sniffing the air. Sakura and Gaara landed by him, slightly confused. Orochimaru's chakra signature wasn't close to here. Why was Naruto stopping? Their answer didn't have to wait long.

A giant snake was seen slithering its way up a tree. Naruto snarled, baring his fangs. "Kota's in the damned thing's stomach." He turned to Sakura, asking for permission. Sakura grinned and nodded. Gaara extended his hand out, sand obeying his every command. The sand grabbed a hold of the snake's tail, holding it in place. Sakura and Naruto then grabbed their katanas and jumped towards the giant snake. While the snake was distracted with the sand around its tail, he missed them coming its way.

Naruto and Sakura stabbed him in the nose, receiving a shriek. They jumped back, avoiding a strike by its fangs. "Damn, the thing is fast." Sakura cursed as she landed on a tree branch. Naruto landed not too far from her in a crouched position. Sakura reached into her kunai pouch and took out three paper bombs. Naruto caught up with her plan and took out two paper bombs. "Gaara, try to hold its tail and neck down! We're going in!" Sakura yelled over at the red head. Gaara nodded, extending his other hand out. Sand came out of another pouch and wrapped itself around the snake's neck, holding him down. "Hurry! He's too big for me with the distance I have!" Gaara told them. He planted his feet on the branch and leaned forward, putting more pressure on the beast's neck and tail. He couldn't move because then his concentration would be divided in jumping and landing. Plus, he was at a safe distance where the snake couldn't get to him if it decided to flail around.

Sakura and Naruto quickly jumped on the snake's head. They put a paper bomb each there then jumped down to the stomach, right above a big lump on the purple snake's stomach. "Kota? It's us, Naruto and Sakura! Don't worry, we'll get you outta there! Cover yourself, this thing's gonna blow!" Naruto yelled at the lump, placing a paper bomb before jumping off to a safe distance, right by Gaara. Sakura then placed a paper bomb under the big lump that was Kota and jumped to the ground, right behind a tree. "Ready?" She asked Naruto. He nodded and the two made hand seals.

"Kai!"

_Shi no Mori Entrance….A Few Minutes Earlier_

Anko chewed happily on her dango, enjoying the sun at its highest point. She opened her eyes when she heard the _**Takigakure**_ _**Kunoichi**_'s scream. She chuckled at the sound, still chewing on her meal. "It looks like it began," She chided in a singsong-like tone. There were about five empty plates in front of her.

Half an hour later, she heard a big explosion. Her eyes widened and she winced. "That couldn't be good…I should go check on it….Nah, they'll be fine." She put another dango stick in her mouth before standing up and jumping off the booth. "Better go get these to the Hokage, then, if there's so much activity going around." She held up the stack of signed forms then made a hand sign, disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

_Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki…._

Sakura came out from behind the tree, Naruto and Gaara landing by her. When the smoke cleared, they saw Kota lying on the ground. He was in a ball, covering his head with his arms and his legs bent under him. Sakura ran over to him, kneeling down by him to check if he was still alive. That left Gaara and Naruto to look around at the insides and parts of the snake. "What do you think?" Gaara asked, looking over at one of the thing's eyes. It was open, giving Gaara the impression that it was looking at them. "It's probably a Kuchiyose. Orochimaru was not letting anything stand in the way of him getting to Sasuke." Naruto said, kicking the tail. It turned around, revealing the still intact bone. Naruto scrunched up his face at the site of the inside of the snake. The insides didn't disgust him, what bothered him was the fact that it was a snake. He hates snakes.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked as Kota sat up. "Yeah, thanks for getting me out of there. I thought I was a goner for a minute there." Kota said, rubbing the back of his head with a hiss. He had a headache. "What happened? Where's the rest of Team Seven?" Sakura asked, watching Naruto kick around the parts of the snake. Kota's eyes widened and he stood up suddenly. His vision went blurry and he lost his balance. Sakura caught him before he was even close to touch the ground. She helped him up by putting his arm around her shoulders.

"My head is killing me." Kota said then noticed the way he was leaning against Sakura and blushed slightly, despite the situation. Sakura saw the blush but ignored it. "Listen, we need you to tell us what happened to the rest of your team. We need to get there as fast as possible, too." Sakura said as Naruto and Gaara joined them. "The snake was a distraction and diversion. We need to get to Orochimaru now." Gaara stated crossing his arms.

"All right. Naruto, can you carry Kota? Orochimaru's pretty far away from here. We need to get there fast." Sakura suggested but to her two teammates it was an order. Naruto nodded and turned his back to Kota. Gaara helped Kota onto Naruto's back then they left.

Naruto growled half way through the trip. They all looked at him, suddenly sensing something was wrong. "Orochimaru is gone. And he took off the tracking seal because it's in the same spot where Sasuke and Amaya are at. I can't smell the snake anymore. It's like he vanished into thin air." Naruto said, picking up his pace. Sakura frowned as Gaara and she followed him. Naruto was right, Orochimaru was gone. She couldn't feel his signature anymore.

They finally arrived at the battle scene. Amaya was sitting down by Sasuke, tears running down her cheeks. Sasuke was lying down by her, unconscious. "Amaya!" Kota yelled, jumping off Naruto's back and landing by her. Amaya looked up, looking relieved at seeing him. "Kota! I thought you were dead!" She stood up and hugged him, sobbing into his shoulder. Despite having the girl of his dreams hugging him, Kota couldn't help but frown. "What happened? What's wrong with Sasuke?" Kota asked, pulling her away from him and looking at her face.

"It was terrible. Sasuke-kun tried to fight off this _**Kusagakure**_ _**Kunoichi**_but it turns out she's a man, not only a man but a Sanin. Sasuke-kun tried to fight him for the scroll but he was too strong. He swallowed his own scroll and burnt ours. Then he attacked Sasuke-kun and bit his neck. This weird mark appeared on his neck then he passed out and the man left." Amaya explained, tears still running down her cheeks.

"That damned snake. When I get my hands on him, I'm gonna…" Naruto growled out, trailing off he thought of many ways to kill the man. Sakura placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down before looking at her sister. Their eyes locked and Amaya suddenly felt so small compared to Sakura. "Gaara, go look around for a shelter for them. I need to check over their wounds an

Naruto needs to look at Sasuke's weird mark. I have a feeling that whatever it is it's not good." Sakura ordered, breaking her gaze from her sister's. Gaara nodded and jumped back.

"If only I hadn't been blown back by that wind and swallowed by the snake, I could've helped." Kota muttered under his breath, cursing his luck. "No, you would've lost your life. Orochimaru's not a pushover. He'll get rid of whatever stands in his way. You two are lucky to be alive." Sakura said with a shake of head. "How do you know so much about him?" Amaya asked, drying her tears.

"We had the unfortunate luck of fighting him a few years ago. He gave Sakura-chan a nasty wound and I'm after his head for it." Naruto said turning away from them and crossing his arms. He glared at the ground, cursing himself for not being fast enough to prevent that attack on his girlfriend.

"What wound?" Amaya asked looking at her younger sister. Sakura unzipped her vest and showed them her right shoulder. There was a scar running from her shoulder, barely grazing the dragon-like birthmark, all the way to her elbow. Because of the fishnet, they couldn't see the rest of the scar. Kota hissed and Amaya looked away, not able to take seeing the scar. "I'm lucky to be alive. I was bleeding so much that day that I was sure I would've died if Konan-nee-chan hadn't been there to help stop the blood." Sakura said zipping her vest back up as Gaara landed by her side.

"There is a tree with enough space to hold them. It can provide them shelter. It's not very far, just two minutes from here." Gaara informed, pointing over his shoulder. Sakura nodded then turned to Team Seven. "Come on, we're leaving. We need to get you three to a shelter." Sakura turned around and jumped down to the ground, the other four following and Gaara leading the way.

Pretty soon, Sakura was checking over their wounds and Naruto was examining Sasuke's mark. Gaara was having a light conversation with Kota as Sakura checked over Amaya's wounds. Besides a few scratches here and there, neither of them had serious injuries. Leaving her sister, Sakura went over to Sasuke. Her hands glowed green again as they scanned over Sasuke's body. He had first degree burns around his mouth and cheeks, and his arms and legs were scratched up pretty badly. He had two broken ribs and a fractured shoulder. _'He sure is someone to be able to sleep that peacefully while being this injured.'_Sakura thought looking at Sasuke's peaceful expression.

She leaned back on her hands, looking over his body. _'You know, if you put aside that stupid attitude of his and that arrogance that comes with most Uchiha, he's actually kind of cute.'_ Sakura raised her brow when she laid eyes on his arm warmers. _'He should really get someone to rearrange his outfit.'_Sighing, Sakura began mending back his broken ribs. It took a while but that was expected as she wasn't very knowledgeable in the medical arts.

Naruto sighed, leaning back against the root of the tree. "This shit it so complicated." Naruto groaned out hitting his head against the root. "What is it?" Sakura asked as she finished mending the first rib. "It's obvious it's a _**Juinjutsu**_ but it's so complicated. To do this, I need books, scrolls, and Orochimaru's research, anything that could decipher this _**Juin**_. Honestly, all I can do now is seal away this _**Juin**_and go straight to the library after this." Naruto explained looking over at his girlfriend. "This means…"

"This means that Orochimaru really is after Sasuke." Naruto finished for her, nodding his head. "We're fucked," Sakura said leaning back. Naruto nodded in agreement, scoffing under his breath. Sakura sighed and leaned over Sasuke, resuming her work.

Half way finished through the fractured shoulder, Naruto's head snapped up. "Someone's coming this way and they do not smell friendly." Naruto announced, bringing everyone's attention to himself. Amaya and Kota were confused at the last part of the sentence but they tensed up. "Relax, you two, we'll fight them." Gaara reassured standing up and walking out of the shelter the old tree provided. Naruto came out after him, pointing out where the ninja were coming from. Sakura applied more medical Ninjutsu on Sasuke's shoulder, trying to heal it as fast as possible.

"They're Otogakure Ninja." Gaara called out, having used his _**Daisan no Me**_to spy on the team heading their way. "It looks like a snake wants to make sure Sasuke survives." Naruto commented, smirking at the thought of the upcoming battle. "Or he wants to make sure Sasuke's Sharingan awakens. Sasuke's in a weak state, there's a huge possibility that he might activate it while fighting these goons." Sakura said as she finished up Sasuke's shoulder.

She took her hand away and was about to turn around when something purple caught her eye. "Uh, Naruto, I think you should get in here." Sakura called out. Naruto clicked his tongue against his teeth and crawled back into the shelter, sitting by Sakura. She pointed at Sasuke's _**Juin**_. "You've got to be shitting me!" Naruto said crawling back out of the shelter to get the fight started. "Whatever you do, don't let Sasuke get involved. The _**Juin**_is acting up and I need to seal it away fast. If Sasuke interferes, I'll have two things to worry about and you know I don't work well when I'm overusing my head." Naruto commanded, turning to the Oto ninja. Sakura nodded, binding Sasuke's arms and legs together with rope and some of her tape.

"Watch over him, if he moves, call me." She told Kota and Amaya before coming out of the shelter. "Hand over the Uchiha and no one gets hurt." The spiky haired guy said overconfidently. The other guy narrowed his eyes at them. "Be careful with them, Zaku. They're not pushovers."

Zaku scoffed crossing his arms over his chest. "Please, Dosu, Amegakure's a lot weaker than Otogakure. We'll beat these guys easily." He waved his teammate off, a smug grin on his face. Sakura, Naruto and Gaara looked at each other. Naruto shrugged while Sakura smirked and Gaara rolled his eyes. They turned back to the Otogakure team. They were watching them carefully, despite Zaku's earlier comments.

From the shelter, Amaya and Kota watched the scene but also kept an eye on Sasuke.

Suddenly, Gaara, Naruto and Sakura screamed at the top of their lungs.

_Tower….._

"How many teams have made it so far?" The Hokage asked Anko, who was chewing on a dango stick. "None, sir." Anko replied, leaning back on the couch. "Hmm, when Ibiki said that there were some interesting people here, I'd had hoped they would have made it by now. I guess I let my spirits get too high." Sarutobi mused with a small sigh.

All of a sudden, they heard three ear-piercing screams. They weren't human. No, they sounded demonic-like. Sarutobi recognized one in an instant. "The Kyuubi? That was the Kyuubi." Sarutobi breathed, stunning Anko in her place. "What would the Kyuubi be doing here?" Anko asked quickly standing up. "I don't know but that didn't sound good." Hiruzen replied as the two ran out of the room to join the other stressing Chunin and Jonin.

_Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki….._

Chakra swirled around the three Genin as their animalistic features returned. Naruto's chakra was red, Gaara's chakra was the typical yellow and Sakura's chakra was white. Naruto grinned at them, showing his canines. "What were you saying about Amegakure being weaker than Otogakure?" He asked the three fear-filled Genin. Zaku was the one to recover first.

"You don't scare us! That's just a Genjutsu. Nothing more, nothing less." Zaku declared glaring at them. "How you wish you were right." A voice from behind them rang out. The three turned around but weren't fast enough to dodge the kicks sent to their midsections. They were thrown back by the powerful kicks and landed right in front of the shelter.

Zaku glared, bringing up his palms together and pointing at them. "_**Zankuuha**_!" He yelled. Pressurized air came out of the air vents in his palms and went towards the three Genin. The gust of air did nothing to them because of the sand that had protected the three. "Damn it, Kin, do something." Zaku yelled at his girl teammate as he grabbed a kunai and rushed towards them.

Kin snapped out of her shock and took out four senbon. She threw them at Sakura, who dodged them. However, strings were attached to the bells on the senbon. Kin moved the strings, creating sound waves that reached Sakura's ears and casted a Genjutsu on her. "_**Suzu no Oto**_," The Oto _**Kunoichi**_muttered as she smirked Sakura's way. Sakura had a glazed over look on her face but then she smirked. "Genjutsu doesn't work on me." Sakura stated before disappearing, quickly appearing by Kin. She kicked her on the back then crouched down to do a leg swipe. Sakura then proceeded to take out multiple kunai and pin Kin to the ground by the pants and shirt. However, she didn't do this without cutting skin. Sakura reached down and grabbed her hair.

"You should've spent more time worrying about your Genjutsu and accuracy rather than rinsing and repeating." Sakura stated as she cut her hair with a kunai. "Pathetic, there was no need in using this form after all." Sakura said as her eyes went back to normal as well as her nails and teeth. Chakra stopped swirling around her and retreated to her right shoulder. Sakura then knocked Kin out by hitting a tenketsu on her neck.

Sakura looked at the shelter and walked back towards it, taking a look inside. "You two okay? Sasuke hasn't moved, has he? "She asked, shooting Sasuke a glance. Purple chakra was swirling around him calmly but, if it was a Juinjutsu, then it wouldn't be like that all of the time. "No but that was fast." Kota commented, looking at Kin. Sakura looked back at her then turned to hem. "I thought she would be more of a challenge. I shouldn't have wasted that much chakra in calling out my special chakra. Oh well," Sakura shrugged, sitting down at the entrance of the shelter.

Gaara was having a little more difficulty. His sand was going after Zaku but the boy would drive the sand further away with his _**Zankuuha**_. It was getting on Gaara's last nerve. So, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Bringing the chakra back to him, Gaara disappeared. He reappeared by Zaku's sand when he had stopped moving. Gaara kicked him in the head, followed by a right uppercut when Zaku turned around. Gaara then punched him in the face with his left hand, using it to distract Zaku from his right hand. He guided his sand to Zaku's arms without the Oto Nin's notice.

Zaku finally noticed that his hands were restrained when he had wanted to use his jutsu but couldn't move them. Gaara stepped away from him as the chakra around him retreated back to his forehead, where his seal was at. His eyes turned back to green and fangs disappeared. The sand stretched Zaku's arms out and spread his legs. Naruto had seen the position and had gotten the urge to go there and kick his family jewels but he as too busy with Dosu to do it.

The sand kept pulling Zaku's arms until they reached their limit. Zaku screamed as his arms were being pulled past their limit. Gaara watched as his sand dislocated both of his arms. Gaara decided to let the guy go as he had suffered enough. Besides, they didn't need to be killed. Maybe later but not now.

Naruto grinned as he heard Zaku's screams of pain and suffer. "_**Kyoumeisen**_!" Dosu called out, his amplifier releasing sound waves. Naruto disappeared and reappeared behind Dosu, kicking his back. In the meantime, the sound waves reached Naruto's ears. While Dosu was sent flying into a tree, Naruto fell to his knees, grasping his right ear. "You bastard," The blonde insulted as he looked at the blood in his hand. He glared at Dosu, hatred consuming his whole. He disappeared, appearing in front of Dosu to punch his face.

The Oto Nin was sent through the tree and slammed into another. Naruto jumped in front of him, grabbing him by the collar. "What does Orochimaru want?" Naruto demanded, his eyes glowing with fury. He was shown memories of his fight with Orochimaru, then his fight with Kabuto along with Sakura getting hurt. That last memory replayed itself in his head, making tears stain the back of his eyes.

"Orochimaru-sama sent us to get rid of Sasuke. He said that if Sasuke survived, then he will be his next host. He also said that nothing will stand in his way of destroying Konoha." Dosu whispered, pain registering itself in his entire body. Naruto clenched his fist before tossing Dosu over his shoulder, right in front of the shelter. "Give me your scroll ad I'll let you let." Sakura offered, holding her hand out. Dosu fumbled with something in his pouch before tossing his _**Ten no Sho**_at her. Sakura checked it over before nodding. "Go, I don't want to see your face." Naruto growled as Dosu began to stand up. He collected his injured and unconscious teammates before leaving.

"Here, you guys need it." Sakura said tossing the scroll to Kota. "We don't take your leftovers." Amaya said refusing to take the scroll they give them. "Orochimaru got rid of two scrolls. I suggest you take this before we give it to someone we know will make Chunin." Sakura said turning away from them to walk to Naruto and Gaara. "Well?" She asked once she reached them.

"Yeah, Orochimaru wants Sasuke's body and Sharingan. He wants to use them to destroy Konoha. The guy's getting on my last nerves." Naruto confirmed with a nod. "What about it, Konan-nee-chan?" Sakura asked, pushing the earpiece. The other two followed her example, listening to what their sensei had to say. Konan ordered them to stay with Team Seven in case the _**Juin**_becomes active. They signed out with a simple, "Hai,' and walked back to Team Seven.

Sasuke was waking up, his eyes showing the first stage of the Sharingan. He sat up, looking over his teammates' condition. "Sasuke-kun, you're awake!" Amaya cried as she hugged him. Sasuke frowned and tried to shrug her off but she wasn't going to let go any time soon. Sighing in defeat, he let her hold him. He looked up at Kota, inwardly relieved that he was okay.

Sasuke saw three shadows at the entrance of the shelter and tensed, only to relax when he saw Sakura, Naruto and Gaara there. "Good, you're up. We need to get moving now. We were careless enough to release a huge amount of chakra during the fight. Competition can try to catch up with us and attack us. I don't want any more mishaps, let's go." Sakura ordered as she stepped aside, letting Kota out. Amaya sighed and let go of Sasuke, following her teammate. Sasuke got out and looked around.

Sakura jumped into the trees, followed by everyone else. She ran at medium speed, a speed the three Konoha Genin can barely keep up with. "It's almost night fall; we should hurry and try to get to the tower before morning." Sakura suggested, looking over her shoulder at Naruto. He nodded in agreement, knowing her plan well. Gaara hummed when Sakura looked at him for his approval. "Are you kidding? We can't see in the dark, we might get caught in a trap." Amaya voiced her thoughts, frowning down at the plan.

"That's what flashlights are for." Naruto countered, turning his head slightly to the side. "What if we get attacked for having the flashlights?" Amaya asked, pulling her hair out of her face. "You're on your own, then." Sakura concluded the conversation by grabbing a branch and swinging herself under it.

Not about to be shown off, Amaya tried to copy her sister's move but her grip was too loose. She slipped and started falling to the floor. She closed her eyes, knowing she was over. A few seconds later and she still hadn't met the ground; Amaya opened her eyes, only to stare back at Naruto's. She got lost in them, thinking it was a picture out of a movie. All she needed to do was lean up and press her lips against his….

Naruto let go of her, dropping her to the ground. He turned to Sakura as Amaya sat up on her elbows and glared at his back. "She's fine, she didn't hit her head. She was trying to kiss me, though." Naruto put on a thoughtful face before speaking again. "Hey, Sakura-chan, did you change my cologne? Konoha _**Kunoichi**_keep crushing on me for not apparent reason."

Sakura shook her head but she did glare at him. "You're not interested in any of them, are you?" She asked, her eyes narrowing. "No but it's still weird." Naruto shook his head and shrugged it off. Sakura jumped off, intent on making it to the tower before morning. They didn't need flashlights, Naruto and Sakura could see in the dark and, if they were going to be attacked, they would've known before it happened.

As the sun began to set, Team Seven had begun to show signs of exhaustion. However, neither Sakura nor Naruto noticed and they kept going at the pace they had set at the start of the trip. It was Gaara who reminded them that the three of them weren't alone. "Guys, they're tired." Gaara called out, breaking the long silence. Sakura and Naruto stopped on the same tree branch, turning around to look at Team Seven.

Amaya was glad when the two had stopped. Her legs were screaming for a break and her lungs were on fire. Kota and Sasuke weren't in any better shape, though Sasuke seemed to be handling it better than the other two. He was still standing, despite his legs' complaints, and was only trying to catch his breath. Kota had laid down on his back by the sitting Amaya and was breathing really hard.

Sakura looked down at the ground, seeing a clearing a few feet away from them. "Okay, we'll take a break." She announced much to Naruto's annoyance. She signalled him to go with her and they landed on the clearing, looking around. "You think it's a good spot for them to have a quick nap?" Sakura asked Naruto, who nodded. They called for the other four and told them to make camp there.

Sasuke had said that they shouldn't make a fire for it will attract other teams. Normally, Sakura would've agreed with him but, if they wanted another scroll, they would need to attract opponents. Amaya argued that they were too tired to even walk. Sakura and Naruto had looked at each other before giving up. If they couldn't see reason, what was the point of arguing with them?

Sakura called Naruto and Gaara for a meeting a few feet away from Team Seven. "Stay with them and protect them. Naruto and I are going to get another scroll for them. He'll leave a few Kage Bunshin around just in case. Call us if you need anything." Sakura whispered, not wanting to the other team to hear them. "All right, I'll help them set up camp. How long are you going be gone?" Gaara asked looking at Naruto. They were both going, alone. Who knew what they were really up to?

"We don't know. The nearest team is about five miles south. We'll probably be gone for a while. Just stay with them, make sure nothing happens to Sasuke, he's important here. We'll call you when we have the scroll." Naruto informed, looking straight into Gaara's eyes. The twelve year old nodded and started walking back to Team Seven as Naruto and Sakura jumped off.

Amaya had seen them leave and asked Gaara about it. "They're going to get the scroll for you. They'll be back in a while." Gaara said sitting down by Kota. "We don't need them to get a scroll for us." Sasuke's arrogance kicked in and Gaara would have none of it. "You're all tired from our trip and still chakra drained from your previous battle. Sakura wants you three to take a short nap; we're not stopping after this. She doesn't care if you feel as if your legs are about to fall off, she'll leave you behind if she has to."

"What about you? Will you or Naruto leave us?" Kota asked, slightly hurt at the fact that Sakura didn't seem to care about them. "Yes. Sakura is our team leader at the moment. If she says to leave you, we'll leave you. Knowing her, she'll beat us into a bloody pulp if we don't follow her orders." Gaara nodded, leaning back to put his weight on his hands. "She's that strong?" Sasuke asked, not believing it.

"No but she has a mean right hook. Besides, I'm scared of her. I don't doubt that Naruto thinks along those lines, too."

"Why?"

"She can be scary when pissed off." Gaara said, sighing at their confused stares. "You see, we're all different. When I'm enraged, I will probably crush a bone or two. When Naruto's pissed off, he'll torture you. When Sakura's pissed, she'll straight up hit you over the head or tries to assassinate you. That's why she's the scariest of us all when mad. I'm afraid I lost count of how many times she's had to beat Naruto up for pissing her off when it hit the three digits." Gaara explained and the conversation ended there.

_Kitsune, Ryu….._

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto and Sakura were gazing at the campsite in the clearing in front of them. Sakura was crouched down on a branch, ready to make hand seals. Naruto was hiding behind a tree, ready to bolt into action at any second. They had their plan laid out; all they needed to do is make it reality. Naruto licked his lips. He could hear his heart beating a thousand miles per hour. It always seemed to happen to him. When they were fighting, he was as calm as ever as long as they didn't piss him off or frustrated him. However, whenever they had to wait to attack, his heart and adrenaline seem to race at the anticipation.

Sakura making hand signs caught his attention. "_**Magen: Narakumi no jutsu**_," Sakura whispered as a swirl of leaves began to swirl around the clearing. The ninja under them didn't notice but just kept on eating their fish. Sakura nodded over at Naruto. Naruto jumped down to the middle of the clearing. The ninja kept on eating. That was until one of them screamed. The blonde smirked, glancing over at his girlfriend. _'Sakura-chan, you're so mean.'_

Naruto silenced the man's screams with his katana. He then proceeded to slice the other two's throats. Sakura jumped down once she released the Genjutsu. Naruto looked into their pouches, finding the _**Chi no Sho**_in his first victim's pouch. Sakura grabbed the scroll and put it inside her pouch while looking around. "Who do you think will clean this up after the exams?" Naruto asked jamming his hands in his pockets. Sakura shrugged, "I don't know. People with good stomachs, I guess."

The blonde chuckled, imagining a man with a weak stomach stumbling across this pile of bloody chunks and throw up. He'd have to clean up more than necessary.

"Come on, they must have gotten that fish from somewhere around here. Team Seven must be starving." Sakura interrupted his thoughts as she started walking away. Naruto looked at the bodies one more time before following her. They walked around aimlessly for a few minutes until they heard a river. They sprinted towards it, knowing that there was one team near the river.

They arrived not ten minutes after their kills, only to find Shikamaru's team resting by the stream. Naruto and Sakura ignored the hushed voices and proceeded to take their clothes off. Naruto stripped down to his boxers while Sakura just kept her undergarments and bindings. "How many?" Naruto asked, though he wasn't looking at her face. "Twelve is enough," Sakura said, appreciating the attention but it wasn't time for that. Naruto snapped out of it, grabbed six kunai and walked on top of the water with Sakura. They released the chakra in their feet and gravity took its toll on them, pulling them into the water.

Fish scattered everywhere as the couple entered the water. They sat down at the bottom of the river with their legs crossed and eyes closed. Slowly, the fish came back to swim around them. Occasionally, they would let bubbles out through their noses, attracting more fishes. Suddenly, they opened their eyes and quickly threw the kunai, each of them piercing through a fish and going out of the water. The two jumped out of the water and onto the edge of the river. They gathered their kunai and fish, and then started drying themselves.

After dressing back into their ninja attire, they started walking to Shikamaru's team, who had been watching them carefully. They prepared for battle when the two approached them. They grinned, liking their reactions. "Relax; we're not here to fight. We just wanted to know if you guys had any matches. We don't usually carry any but I don't want to waste chakra in using a Katon jutsu." Sakura said narrowing her eyes at them.

He hesitated for a bit but Shikamaru tossed them their lighter. "Thanks, we'll give it back to you later." Naruto said as they turned around to leave. They jumped into the trees, intent on making it there in less than half an hour. Naruto led the way while Sakura went behind him. Half way through the trip, the two decided to get wood for a small fire.

They got there twenty minutes later. The two found Team Seven fast asleep while Gaara was sitting by them, watching them over. Gaara turned to them as they walked to him. "They fell asleep faster than I thought. They must have been worn from fighting Orochimaru, his snake and running this much." Gaara informed while standing up. "I wouldn't blame them. They just started their Shinobi lives, all they've been doing in the Ninja Gakko this whole time was just playing around and wasting time." Naruto said as he laid the wood down on the ground gently as to not wake them up.

"Then again, they are pretty lucky. Sometimes, I wish I could just kick back and relax or play a normal game of hide-and-seek. They lived their childhood, at least up to a certain point. We didn't, we started training to be killing machines at the mere age of six." Sakura said as she looked over the three. She knew Amaya and Sasuke were half awake, meaning they were listening in. Naruto and Gaara knew, too but they let them rest their muscles a bit more.

"But that was our choice. We wanted revenge and Itachi-sensei helped us up to a point. Now, we're being trained by the rest of Akatsuki." Naruto said with a shrug. "Sure, I'd like to go home to have my mother make dinner and read books to me at night but I love what I do. I was made to be a ninja, not a pampered child. Besides, who needs family when I have a brooding younger brother and a sexy ass girlfriend?" Naruto asked, grinning their way. Gaara shook his head with a smirk while Sakura snickered. "Who said I was brooding, huh?" Gaara asked as he grabbed Naruto in a headlock and rubbed his head with his knuckles. Naruto chuckled light-heartedly and grabbed him by the waist, tackling him to the ground.

"All right, you two, that's enough. Let's get dinner ready so we can move out." Sakura said, trying to hold back a smile as the two began to wrestle silently. The two were about to stand up but Naruto pushed Gaara back down and ran to his girlfriend, wrapping his arms around her from the back.

Gaara shook his head as he looked at them. His eyes softened as he looked at them work together, Naruto's arms on Sakura's. He was glad Naruto had finally found someone that can love him back the way he wanted to be loved. Though they loved each other in a brotherly way, Gaara wanted someone like Sakura for himself. When he had an intimate chat with Sakura about it a few months back, she had told him that he hadn't found that special person yet. Gaara believed her and he could wait. Because if someone was going to make him happy the way Sakura made Naruto happy, he would wait for them.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Naruto called him. "Hey, want to sleep for a little while or are you okay?" Naruto asked as he leaned his cheek on Sakura's hair. Sakura turned to him slightly, still putting the fish on sticks. "I'm fine, don't worry." Gaara reassured with a nod. Naruto scoffed but anyone could see the grin on his face. "Fine but don't complain when we start making-out in front of you."

"You know what, on second thought, I might need that nap right now." Naruto chuckled at Gaara's words before turning back to help Sakura with dinner.

The smell of fish cooking awoke Kota, and made Amaya and Sasuke get up. The six ate in silence after Naruto had put out the small cooking fire. They had eaten two fishes, except for Amaya. Her excuse was that she would get fat if she didn't watch what she ate. Sakura had shrugged and split it in five, dividing it to the others. Sakura told them to pack up fast because they were moving out.

While Team Seven packed up and Naruto got rid of the burnt wood, Gaara and Sakura discussed plans. "Anko said that this part of the exam would last five days. When we get out of here, we're going to go check on the Chakra no Shizen Buredo. From there on, we listen to Konan-nee-chan's orders." Sakura said as they leaned against a tree. She caught Sasuke's eye but he turned away soon after.

"He likes you, you know." Gaara said as they watched Amaya struggle with her sleeping bag. "Who likes me, Sasuke?" Sakura said looking at Gaara. The red head shrugged, looking at her. She raised her brow, "Really?" Her tone of voice told him that she didn't believe it. "Yeah, he wouldn't stop asking questions about you. Should I tell Naruto?" Gaara asked turning to the three. Amaya seemed to still be having trouble with her sleeping bag. Kota finished with his and went to help her but she refused.

"Sure, tell him. Sasuke can go suck a dick for all I care, though." Sakura said, smirking when arms were wrapped around her waist from the side. "I'll beat him into the ground like a nail if he touches you." Naruto said, glaring at Sasuke's back. Sakura rolled her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder, crossing her arms. Gaara leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes to feel the earth beneath him.

Sakura and Naruto watched as Amaya kept struggling with her sleeping bag. Sasuke seemed to become frustrated with the troubled and went to help her. She had immediately accepted his help, having done the complete opposite with Kota. "Now that's just being a complete bitch," Naruto commented, watching as Amaya fawned over Sasuke while Kota stood to the side, looking slightly hurt. Kota looked up at them and blushed when Sakura winked at him. He walked over to them, looking away with a blush covering his cheeks.

"Don't mind them; Amaya has always been like that. Try crushing on someone else. Amaya won't look behind her or to her side but she'll keep staring off into oblivion. It's really not worth it." Sakura said, trying to cheer him up. Kota nodded and smiled at her, thanking her. "Hey, hey, not her, she's mine." Naruto warned, bringing Sakura closer. Kota began to stutter, trying to reason with him. Sakura nudged Naruto's ribs while snickering. "Relax; he's just playing with you." She told him, making Kota release a sigh of relief.

By the time everything was set to go, it was already night fall. Naruto's eyes turned red with slits while Sakura's changed into a crystal blue colour. They were shining in the dark, mesmerizing Team Seven. "Come on, we're not stopping after this. The Tower is about an hour away from here if we keep the pace we had earlier. I'm not slowing down so get ready to sprint." Sakura was about to jump off when Amaya stopped her. "What about us? We don't have a _**Chi no Sho**_."

Sakura took out the scroll from her pouch and tossed it at Sasuke. "Let's go," She said once Sakura had it secured in his pouch. They took off at the pace they had been earlier.

True to her word, it only took about an hour to reach the Tower. The six entered a room and Team Seven was puzzled. There was nothing in the room but a door and a board with a strange riddle. Sakura turned to the three, "Open your scrolls at the same time and throw them at the floor." Amaya glared at her. She was getting tired of her bossing them around. She was in no status to do that to her or Sasuke. It wasn't acceptable. "Look here, Sakura, you're not the boss around here-"

"Just do it," Naruto growled, getting fed up with her attitude. Amaya glared at him before taking out the _**Ten no Sho**_ and Sasuke taking out the _**Chi no Sho**_. They opened them and threw them to the floor. After a few seconds of nothing happening, Amaya turned to Sakura, about to insult her. That was until a cloud of smoke appeared on top of the scrolls. When the smoke cleared, a man with a high ponytail and a scar running along his face stood there, grinning at them.

"Congratulations, you pass this part of the…" The man trailed off as he looked at the other team with the Konoha Genin. Sakura's scroll appeared in her hand while Naruto's appeared on his knuckles. "Here ya' go. We already know the riddle so if you would excuse us; I want to sleep in a real bed." Naruto said, handing both scrolls to the man and walking through the door, his team following him.

They walked into a hall with a large room in it. They guessed it was the dining room. They walked up a staircase and were slightly surprised to see Konan leaning against a door. She nodded, smirking at them. "Good job, you three. I already informed Pein-sama about your success. He has told me that you are to report your finding about Orochimaru to the Hokage tomorrow morning now that your suspicions are confirmed. In the meantime, here is your room." Konan explained as she turned around and opened a door, walking into the room. They followed her inside, inspecting the place.

It was a normal room. It had three beds and a door leading to the bathroom. A night stand stood in between each bed and one to the right of the last bed. "You're going to stay here until this phase of the exams finish. The dining room is downstairs. I'll see you three in four days." With that said Konan left the room and locked the door behind her.

Naruto lay down on his bed, placing his hands behind his head. Gaara looked in the night stands, seeing their backpacks there. Gaara grabbed his backpack and went into the bathroom, going to take a quick shower. Once he heard the shower start, Naruto got out of bed and jumped on Sakura, who had been lying on her bed with her eyes closed. She opened them when Naruto landed on top of her. She grinned at him, knowing what was going to happen next.

Naruto leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. He grabbed her wrists and put them above her head, pinning them there. Naruto then straddled her waist. Sakura kissed him back, vulnerable under his weight. Naruto licked her bottom lip and she opened her lips, letting him slip his tongue inside her mouth. As their tongues tangled and twisted with each other, Naruto grabbed both of her wrists with one hand and used his other to run it across her stomach. Sakura groaned, not liking the teasing. Naruto smirked against her lips as he reached down to caress her thigh.

Naruto left her lips to attack her neck. Sakura had been taking a breather and gasped when Naruto licked the side of her neck. Naruto started placing love bites all over her neck, loving the strained moans he was receiving in return. Sakura managed to release one hand from his grasp and grabbed his neck, pulling him closer. The hand then grabbed his hair, pulling it. Naruto groaned and started licking the spot where her shoulder and neck met. He started sucking on it, intent on leaving a mark.

Sakura pulled away from his grasp and pulled away from him, holding him up with both of her hands. Naruto sent her a questioning gaze. She tugged at his shirt, making him grin. Naruto sat up on his knees and pulled his shirt of his head, his fishnet soon following. While he was busy doing that, Sakura had put one of his knees in between her legs. That made him loose him balance for a split second and he fell on her. Luckily, Sakura held him up. He shook his head and took off his fishnet. He went on all fours and kissed her again. Sakura grabbed his hair with both hands and pulled him closer. Their chests met but that only added to the fuel building up in the pits of their stomachs.

Naruto reached down and grabbed her thigh, wrapping her leg loose leg around his waist. He leaned down completely, pressing their lower regions together. This brought forth a strained moan from the girl under him. Naruto thrust his hips into hers. Sakura pulled away from him with a hiss. "Fucking hell," She brought him back down for another kiss. This encouraged Naruto as he thrust his hips again, earning another moan. The blonde ran his hands over her stomach then raised her vest and fishnet to run his nails down her smooth stomach. He didn't notice but his pants were getting tighter by the second. He also didn't notice the shower turning off.

They stopped as soon as they heard the door of the bathroom open. Naruto jumped off Sakura but Gaara had already seen them. Gaara's eyes trailed from Sakura's breathless form down to Naruto's pants. Shaking his head, Gaara walked to his nightstand as Naruto grabbed his own backpack and dashed to the bathroom to take a very, very cold shower. Gaara put everything back to where they were and lay down on his bed.

Sakura turned to glare at him. "Not a word of this to anyone, do you understand me?" She growled at him for emphasis. Gaara rolled his eyes but he couldn't let the opportunity of teasing her go to waste. "I won't tell a soul. Of course, I don't know any souls-" Gaara was interrupted when a pillow hit the side of his face.

"Gaara, stop teasing!"

_(A/N: Hey, I'm in time for my update this time, right? I think so, I'm not sure. So much has happened this week that I'm not sure what day it is. With what the tropical storm Emily almost hitting Puerto Rico and then there's another two on their way from Africa. To top it all off, my mother waited 'till the very last minute to buy my school shit and enrol me in a high school. And I do mean the very last minute, classes start next week._

_Anyway, enough of my social life rambling. If you notice, Naruto and Sakura –especially Naruto- curse a lot. Gaara even adds his moment here and there. More of their attitude towards each other, other members of Akatsuki and everyone else will be explained later on. Also, for the preliminaries fights, only a pair or two will be the same as the canon. The pairs will be completely different and the Third Stage of the Chunin Exams will not be the same as the canon. Yes, Sarutobi will die. Yes, Sasuke will learn Chidori. Yes, Orochimaru will try to invade Konoha with the Sunagakure and Otogakure forces but will fail miserably. Yes, Itachi and Kisame will go into Konoha after the Chunin Exams. But, this time, they will be after something else as it is obvious they are not going to be after Naruto._

_Anyhow, here's the Glossary:_  
><em>*Notice: The jutsus and techniques will be explained as best as possible. If you see any mishaps or errors, please notify me and I will fix it the best I can.<em>

_**Chakra no Shizen Buredo- Chakra Nature Blades**_

**_Daisan no Me- The Third Eye is a Ninjutsu technique unique to the Sand ninja Gaara. Created out of sand, the Eye allows Gaara to view an opponent when he is either encased in his Suna no Muya or when he needs to be able to see his opponent's actions when he has no clear line of sight with his own eyes._**

**_Gaki- Brat, twerp_**

**_Hiraishin no jutsu- Flying Thunder God Technique is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by the Fourth Hokage. The technique gave Yondaime his nickname "Konoha's Yellow Flash," due to his bright yellow hair and his ability to traverse great distances in the blink of an eye. A space-time jutsu like Kuchiyose, Yondaime first needs to mark his destination with a shiki (rite) first, he can then activate the jutsu to come to the mark. He can apply this to a weapon such as a kunai, and when thrown or used, he can instantly travel to it. He can also apply the mark to a touched area, such as his opponent or some other surrounding feature. No matter where the opponent goes, Yondaime can travel to the mark to kill them._**

**_Juinjutsu- Curse Seal Techniques_**

**_Kunoichi- Female Ninja_**

**_Kusagakure no Sato- Village Hidden in the Grass_**

**_Kyoumeisen- Vibrating Sound Drill is a Ninjutsu technique which uses sound waves created by Dosu's sound wave amplifier to disrupt a person's inner ear. After the amplifier releases sound waves, Dosu can use his chakra to move the waves directly into the inner ear of his opponent. By disrupting the inner ear in this manner, the target loses their sense of balance and will likely vomit. If the opponent has their ears plugged, Dosu can direct the sound through their body. Because the body is 70% water, it conducts the sound just as well. This allows the sound waves to still reach the inner ear._**

**_Magen: Narakumi no jutsu- Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique is a Genjutsu technique that causes its target to see a horrifying vision. The ninja will use the serpent hand seal to cause a circle of leaves to spin and envelop the target and then fall away. Once cast the world will appear normal to the target until they see the illusion._**  
><strong><em>Sabaku Kyuu- Dessert Coffin is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by the Sand ninja Gaara. Gaara will cause sand to rise from the ground and wrap around the legs of his target, restraining them in place. The sand will then rise up to full encase the target. This technique alone can crush the bones of his opponent but the technique is usually used to prepare the victim for the Sabaku Sousou technique.<em>**

**_Shi no Mori- Forest of Death_**

**_Shunshin- Body Flicker Jutsu is a basic Ninjutsu technique. The ninja will appear and disappear in an instant, allowing them to retreat or attack suddenly. To facilitate the movement the ninja will often use nearby elements such as mist, sand or leaves to mask their appearance or disappearance._**

**_Suzu no Oto- Sound of Bells is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by Sound Kunoichi Kin. Kin will hurl senbon which have bells attached with string. This string will also run from the senbon itself to her hand. After she hurls the senbon at her opponent, the dangling bells can be moved by Kin to emit a ring at a special frequency. This frequency reaches directly into her opponents brain and shows them the desired illusions. Unfortunately simple ear plugging will not prevent the illusions. One way this can be utilized is to confuse her opponent. By making her opponent see multiple copies of herself, she can confuse them as to her actual location. This is especially deadly when senbon or kunai are thrown, making it difficult to tell which weapon to avoid._**

**_Takigakure no Sato- Village Hidden in the Waterfall_**

**_Ten no Sho, Chi no Sho- Heaven Scroll, Earth Scroll_**

**_Zankuuha- Decapitating Air Waves is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by the Sound ninja Zaku Abumi. Using the air vents installed in his arms, Zaku can control supersonic waves and air pressure. The Zankuuha creates a massive gust of wind which he can blast at an opponent. The gust is so strong it can even break rock._**

_Thanks for reading,_

_7__th Creature_


	5. Preliminaries

_Akuma no Buntai…..Four Days Later_

Naruto and Sakura were woken up by a knock on the door. Naruto answered it while Sakura went back to sleep. When he opened the door, a Chunin was standing there. He gave Naruto instructions to meet at a certain room in an hour. Naruto nodded and closed the door, lying back down on the bed with a sigh. Not fifteen minutes later, he was splashed with icy cold water. The blonde jumped up, shaking from the cold. He glared at the cup in Sakura's hands before glaring at her.

His eyes softened when he looked at her. She was already dressed in her ninja attire and only needed to put her Hitaiate and boots on. Frowning, Naruto shook his head to get rid of the water and walked into the bathroom. While he was showering, Sakura took the time to remember the talk the three had had with the Hokage and Anko.

_-Flashback-_

_Naruto, Sakura and Gaara walked into a room, where the Hokage and Anko were relaxing. As soon as they laid eyes on them, the two adults stood up. Anko narrowed her eyes while Sarutobi just stared at them. They weren't expecting them to just pass right through their door. There are guards out there and they would have let the two know they were coming. To add more to the adults' suspicions, they were able to get a videotape this morning about them entering the tower. None of them had scratched besides Naruto's ear being temporarily damaged. Yet, there was still blood on them. They either killed someone out there or were really fast healers. The former was the best possibility for them._

_"We need to talk," Naruto announced with a frown. Their attention was brought back to them at those words. Gaara's sand closed the door and locked it before returning inside his pouch. Sarutobi straightened up, staring at them with authority. "What is it?" He asked, motioning to the unoccupied seats in the room. While they were all sitting down, Sakura voiced her reason for being there. "We need to talk about Orochimaru."_

_That stunned the two adults to their places. Their eyes widened and their mouths hung open. Naruto felt like commenting but held his tongue back, knowing this was a serious matter. "What about Orochimaru?" Sarutobi asked, careful with his words. He didn't know if they knew what they were getting into if they talked about an S-ranked Nukenin._

_"Orochimaru's here, in Konoha." This time, Sakura didn't wait for their reactions but rather continued. "He's planning on invading Konohagakure when we're all busy with the Third Phase of the Chunin Exams. He also, somehow, convinced Yondaime Kazekage to consider this offer and they, along with Otogakure, are planning on attacking Konoha." Sakura explained staring at them in the eyes. She kept talking, though, so they didn't have time to comment. "As you both know, Orochimaru is starving for power and wants immortality to acquire it. He's mastered the __**Fushi Tensei **__technique. At the moment, he's after Uchiha Sasuke, knowing full well that the Sharingan has the power to copy any jutsu at will. He decided to test Sasuke's potential and placed the __**Ten Juinjutsu**__ on him, if Naruto's studies are correct. We believe he wants to use the __**Fushi Tensei**__ on Sasuke to achieve immortality."_

_Sakura waited for their reactions, half expecting them to laugh at them. So it came to a surprise when they both kept paying attention. "When do you think he'll attack?" Sarutobi asked paying his complete and utter attention to the conversation. When it came to Orochimaru, he wouldn't kid around, even if the information was coming from three not-so-foreign Genin. "We're not sure, yet, but Amegakure has spies working with or under Orochimaru." Gaara informed. Anko immediately tensed at the news, both out of curiosity and shock._

_"Don't worry; Konoha won't be alone in this. We're sending Amegakure ninja over here to help you guys. You guys weren't the only ones Orochimaru left with a scar." Naruto supported but he growled out the last sentence. Sakura unconsciously grasped her right shoulder before letting her hand fall back to her side. The blonde shook his head, ridding his thoughts. "Also, I'd like to have permission to seal away Sasuke's Juinjutsu. It may become active during the Final Stage and I don't think that's a good thing." Naruto said with a frown on his face. They didn't know exactly what Orochimaru's plans were and if it involved Sasuke's Juinjutsu activating, they would be in big trouble if Naruto didn't seal it away before that._

_Sarutobi hesitated then glanced at Anko. She was grasping the side of her neck, her mind somewhere else. "All right but I'm going to be present."_

_They understood his words. He didn't trust them fully and he was smart in doing so. If Orochimaru was after Sasuke, they could easily knock the Uchiha out and kill him silently. That would mean Orochimaru will surely lose his only escape to immortality. However, that would also put Amegakure and Konohagakure in worse alliance status than it already is. So, if they seal away the Juinjutsu, they'll be killing two birds with one stone._

_Making their way down the corridors, the five got ready to face the sealing procedure._

_-End Flashback-_

The sealing had gone well and Sasuke had woken up yesterday. However, they weren't out of trouble, yet. The seal was temporary, meaning that, if Sasuke were to force chakra to activate a jutsu, the seal will break and the Juinjutsu will become even more active. But Team Seven and Kakashi were told of the seal but the three Genin didn't go into detail of the upcoming invasion until the Konoha Genin had left the room. When they had left the room, the six, including Kakashi, had discussed thoughts about the invasion. The three had also given up information on Akatsuki, up to a certain point.

They were sent back to their room as soon as the discussion finished. They haven't come in contact with any of the teams, their food being sent to them as they unravelled the mystery that is the invasion. Because, even with all of this basic information they had, it wasn't enough to depend on. Also, right after this phase of the exam ended, Sarutobi will let them rummage through some of Orochimaru's classified files and archives so they could decipher and permanently erase or block Sasuke's Juinjutsu.

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts when warm arms wrapped around her waist. "I don't know how you can think so much. Thinking gives me a headache," Naruto whispered in her ear, sending chills down her spine. The two have also been exploring certain…_things_ about each other these past few days. With not much to do, they would read Ninjutsu scrolls they had brought with them and, when Gaara was asleep, have a heated moment. They didn't go further than kissing and touching, though. And Naruto completely understood. It wasn't the place or time for that.

"That's because your brain is automatically set on Genin-level thinking and I doubt that will change anytime soon." Sakura shot back, turning in his arms and pecking his cheek. She escaped from his embrace and went to put her Hitaiate on. Naruto rolled his eyes then released the seal on Gaara's neck.

While Gaara woke up and started getting ready, Naruto and Sakura checked their equipment. They also checked Gaara's equipment while he dressed. When the three were ready and sure they hadn't left anything behind, they left the room to meet up with the other teams. They walked downstairs into a room.

The room had a statue of hands making the tiger seal at the back of the room and two floors, one on each side, where you could view anything going on downstairs. Sakura looked around, seeing the rest of the teams there, lined up one in front of the other. She got in line first, followed by Gaara then Naruto.

The Hokage watched them get in line and stood up from his chair. "Good morning, Genin. First of all, I'd like to congratulate you all in coming this far in the Chunin Exams. You being here means you've passed the Second Stage of the Exam and are ready to go on to the Third Stage. Now, normally, this would be possible. However, it seems that this year, there are far too many candidates. Do understand that feudal lords and mayor people from all of the nations will be present to watch your battles. There would be just too much time wasted and the event will take more than a day if we let all of you participate. That is why you are here. You are going to take a preliminary round to get rid of the competition. Hayate," The Hokage nodded at a man, who looked pretty bad.

"Is he sick?" Gaara asked, leaning over to whisper in Sakura's ear. Sakura shrugged, narrowing her eyes at the way the man coughed. "Good morning. My name is Gekkou Hayate and I'll be the proctor for this next part of the exams. The rules are simple. You are going to be having a one-on-one battle. Whoever wins, will move onto the next Stage of the Chunin Exams. Notice that this won't affect your team so, if you want to drop out now, you can. Remember, once you've dropped out, you can't come back in and you won't participate in the next Stage." Throughout this whole explanation, Hayate kept coughing. Sakura frowned, knowing something was definitely wrong with his lungs.

"Here's your chance to drop out of the competition," Hayate coughed then looked at all of the Genin. "That's it, I'm out." Kabuto called out, bringing everyone's attention to him. "I was injured during the last Phase and I don't have much chakra. I'm out," Kabuto said as he walked out from his team's line and in front of Hayate.

"He's the one Sakura had said was working with Orochimaru, right? Yakushi Kabuto, was it?" Anko asked in the Hokage's ear. Sarutobi locked eyes with Sakura and she nodded. "Yeah, have Anbu keep an eye on him. I don't want any mishaps." Hiruzen ordered, not breaking the gaze with Sakura. Anko nodded and gave the orders into a headpiece. The Anbu, Konan and Akuma no Buntai had their earpieces in the same frequency, meaning every one of them heard the orders. Hearing the orders, Sakura broke her gaze from the Hokage's and looked over her shoulder, nodding at Naruto.

Naruto grabbed his ear, giving his **Bunshin** the same orders. He received a positive reply and nodded back at Sakura. Their attention was brought forth when Kabuto left the room. After a minute of waiting, Hayate sent them all to the viewer floors to start the event. A board appeared near the statue, where the names of the fighters will be given at random.

The names shuffled quickly through the board when everyone was in place. Foreign ninja were at one side and Konoha ninja were at the other, with the exception of Kiba's team, who were standing by Akuma no Buntai. The senseis of all of the teams were there, standing behind their team. Konan placed a hand on Sakura's shoulders and squeezed it. Sakura tensed, hoping to hear what she wanted to hear. "You did an excellent job, Sakura." Konan whispered in her ear. Sakura held back the smile that started forming on her face. She nodded instead, thanking her. Praise from the second strongest ninja in all of Ame meant that she was doing the right thing and that someone was proud of her.

Naruto tensed when Konan ruffled his hair, a blush forming on his face. "You did great, Kit." Konan complimented with a smile on her face. Naruto grinned and leaned his elbows on the railing, not able to conceal his happiness as much as Gaara and Sakura.

When Konan told Gaara, "I'm proud of you," he instantly relaxed and closed his eyes. Tears stung at the back of his eyes but he held them back. He sighed and nodded, opening his eyes and blinking really fast to hold the tears threatening to fall.

Konan was proud of them and that was something Konan didn't express much. They'll savour her praise while they can. The screen clicking twice caught their attention. The first match was decided.

Uchiha Sasuke vs. Kinuta Dosu.

Sasuke looked at the Otogakure ninja before jumped over the railing. Dosu gulped silently and walked down the stairs to the already waiting Uchiha. They met in the middle, their gazes meeting. Hayate coughed and placed a hand in between them. "Uchiha Sasuke, Kinuta Dosu, are you ready?" He asked, using his other hand to cover his coughs. They nodded, not taking their eyes off each other. "All right, then. Begin!" Hayate jumped off the middle to stand by the Hokage.

Sasuke jumped away from Dosu, intent on not making the first move. However, Dosu had already made his first move by the time Sasuke landed. "**Kyoumeisen**," He yelled, and his amplifier started vibrating. The sound waves reached Sasuke's ear. Sasuke fell to his knees while gripping the side of his head. Dosu used that chance to throw kunai. Sasuke saw them coming from the corner of his eyes and reflected them with his own weapon. Standing up, Sasuke looked at the hand that had been gripping his head. Blood was on it but he didn't mind it. Sasuke then went to run at him but lost his balance and fell on his knees.

Dosu ran at him, kunai at hand. Sasuke reached up and blocked the hit with his kunai. Sasuke pushed back, trying to overpower him with brute strength. Dosu swung at him with his other arm but Sasuke ducked and used his feet to do a leg sweep. Dosu fell on his back and Sasuke used this opportunity to jump back away from him. Even though his land was rough and unbalanced, Sasuke was able to catch himself before he fell down again. He ran through hand seals and placed his index finger and thumb in front of his mouth. "**Katon: Goukkakyou no jutsu**," Sasuke exhaled through his mouth just as Dosu was standing up. A fireball formed as it flew towards the Oto ninja. Dosu jumped out of the way, barely making it out without getting burned.

Sasuke cursed and ran forward. His eyesight became blurry but he shook his head and threw three kunai at Dosu. Dosu dodged them and placed his amplifier in front of him, aimed at Sasuke. "**Kyoumeisen**," He yelled and Sasuke instantly fell to his knees again, this time gripping the other side of his head. Sasuke cursed as he looked up. His eyes changed into the first stage of the Sharingan. He looked at the amplifier but couldn't decipher what was going on or what he was doing.

Shrugging it off, Sasuke stood up, only for his Sharingan eye to disappear. Sasuke frowned and glared at Dosu. He hissed when he grabbed his neck. Naruto instantly tensed, watching the Juinjutsu carefully. It hadn't broken through the Fuinjutsu he had performed on Sasuke but, sooner or later, the Juin will eat away at the Fuin.

Sasuke then reached into his pouch. He threw shuriken at Dosu, who dodged them easily. However, the shuriken had strings attached to them and Sasuke manoeuvred them to wrap around him. The shuriken dug at Dosu's clothes and held him tight in the strings. Sasuke pulled Dosu to him. Sasuke then kicked Dosu to the air. Sasuke jumped up and placed himself behind Dosu, muttering, "_**Konoha Kage Boyou**_," Sasuke went to kick Dosu's middle back but Dose blocked the hit. Using advantage of Dosu being distracted by the kick, Sasuke used his hand to strike him in the cheek. Dosu began falling down but Sasuke moved so he would be in front of him as he managed to land a punch to his gut. That sent Dosu flying to the ground but Sasuke was still on his tail.

Sasuke kicked him in the chest at the same time Dosu hit the ground with his back. Everyone heard a bone crack. Most of the Genin there hissed but other remained passive. Sasuke jumped off Dosu and stood to the side as Hayate checked on the unconscious ninja. Sasuke grasped his neck, catching Naruto's attention. "Damn," the blonde cursed as Sasuke was announced the winner.

Naruto jumped down to the arena and grabbed Sasuke's elbow. All of the Jonin tensed, thinking he was going to attack. Leaning in close to Sasuke's ear, Naruto whispered, "After all of this is over, meet me at the Hokage Kaoiwa. Come or I'll go look for you." Naruto growled at the end, making it clear that he wasn't playing around. Sasuke nodded with a frown, though inside he wanted to shit himself. Naruto had a tight grip on his elbow and the growl didn't help him relax. The blonde let go of him and jumped back to his previous place, leaning against the railing.

Naruto's eyes trailed over to the Oto team's sensei then to Sasuke a second later. After watching Sasuke go up the stairs, Naruto leaned over to Sakura's ear. "Orochimaru's here. He's disguised as the Oto Jonin." Sakura nodded, passing the information over to Konan. Konan in return passed the information to the Hokage and Anko. Sarutobi and Anko glanced at the Otogakure Jonin before turning to the screen.

Names flashed quickly as the air in the room became tense. After watching that first fight and how easily Dosu went out, everyone wanted to get their fight done with already. The screen stopped flashing. It was Kabuto's teammate's turn.

Akado Yoroi vs. Sabaku no Kankuro

The fight was over with pretty quickly. Yoroi had used his _**Chakra Kyuuin Jutsu**_ to absorb Kankuro's chakra. Turns out, it wasn't Kankuro he was sucking the chakra out of but rather his puppet. The puppet had opened its mouth and released a barrage of kunai. Yoroi had been lucky enough to cover his head and face in time before the kunai hit him. With over a dozen kunai embedded in his body, Hayate had declared Kankuro the winner.

The names had been chosen much quicker next time.

Akimichi Choji vs. Matsuri.

It was Kankuro's brunette teammate and Shikamaru's chubby partner. The fight hadn't been long, either. Choji had tried many techniques, as well had Matsuri but the fight ended up in a draw. The both passed out at the same time, having over used their chakra.

The next names were what attracted the Amegakure team.

It was Shikamaru against that other Konoha ninja in Kabuto's team. Shikamaru had beaten him with his tactic skills, something that surprised even Sakura. He had given off the lazy type of person impression. It was true but he was a genius, though that other ninja was pretty weak.

The next names were what had everyone tense and stay still.

Uzumaki Naruto vs. Kamizuki Kota

Kota's eyes widened and they met the apologetic gaze of the blonde. Naruto jumped over the railing and stood in the middle, waiting. Sasuke placed a hand on Kota's shoulders, knowing he had gotten cold feet. Sasuke then started pushing him to the stairs. Kota shrugged his hand off and jumped over the railing. He landed in front of Naruto. Hayate asked them if they were ready. Naruto nodded while Kota answered with a simple, "Hai."

"Begin!" Hayate jumped out of the way but neither moved. Their gazes locked onto each other fiercely, Naruto smirked. "You can drop out if you want. No one will see you as a coward if you do." Naruto said, the smirk vanishing from his face. "Sasuke would, you would, and your teammates would. Amaya would," Kota said, whispering the last part. Naruto heard him and sighed. "I won't see you as a coward, neither will Gaara or Sakura-chan. Sasuke just has a stick up his ass and so does Amaya….I honestly don't want to hurt you, Kota."

"Naruto, I just want to thank you for saving me from that snake. If it wasn't for you, Sakura and Gaara, I would be dead right now, and Amaya and Sasuke wouldn't be here. But that doesn't mean I'm going to run away from a fight where you are my opponent." Kota answered while Amaya and Sasuke fumed in the background. Kota glanced up at the rest of Naruto's team. Sakura was smirking and Gaara nodded.

"Kota," Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. "Are you sure? You have only had a small glance of the powers I have. You've no idea how strong I really am." Naruto opened his eyes again when he finished talking. Kota nodded, grinning. "Yeah. Besides, what kind of fight would it be if you didn't come at me with everything you have?" Kota asked, confidence rolling off every word. "A fight where I don't want to kill you," Naruto said, smacking the grin off his face. Kota stared at him then got into an offensive stance, taking out the katana that had been sheathed at his left hip. _'So, he really is left-handed.' _Naruto thought as he got into his own fighting stance.

Kota ran and swung at him but Naruto dodged it and disappeared. Kota stopped his movements and tried to focus on finding him. He heard metal pierce the air and turned around, blocking the katana with his own. Naruto smirked before jumping away, landing a few feet away from the wall. Kota frowned and ran at Naruto again. Naruto sighed and ducked under the blade. Kota smirked, twisted the katana in his hand and swung downwards. Naruto's eyes widened as he was slashed by the small sword.

The Naruto smirked as he poofed off into non-existence. Kota turned around just in time to avoid being cut by kunai. Naruto stood on the railing by Sakura and Gaara, who were leaning against it. The blonde was crouched down, ready to pounce. "Good job. Anyone who isn't a Kenjutsu master would be caught off guard by your sudden moves. However, if they are Kenjutsu master, they'll figure out right away that the way you hold your katana is in an angle where you can shift it and struck your opponents if they duck under your strike very quickly."

Naruto jumped off the railing, patting his own katana. "Too bad for you I happen to be a Kenjutsu user and a very good one. It also doesn't help you that I was watching your moves when you were fighting off the Oni Kyodai during your mission in Nami." Naruto said as he straightened up and crossed his arms. Kota frowned, silently cursing himself for forgetting they were with them in Nami.

"You're all talk but you're weak," Sasuke commented, trying to get Kota to fight. Naruto turned his eyes away from Kota for a second to look at Sasuke. Kota used that moment to attack. He ran at him as fast as he could and swung down on him. Naruto turned to him and back-flipped out of the way. Landing on his feet, Naruto shot out towards him, unsheathing his katana. He swung at Kota, who ducked and rolled out of the way. Naruto jumped up, swinging his katana down on the brunette. Kota reached up and blocked the hit with his blade. Naruto smirked, glancing behind Kota.

"Kota, behind you!" Amaya called as she watched another Naruto run at Kota from behind him. Kota turned around just in time to duck under the strike. The strike, however, hit Naruto. The Naruto that got hit turned into smoke. The real Naruto cursed as Kota rolled from under him and jumped away. "You're good but not good enough." Naruto complimented before disappearing. Kota tensed, looking to all of his sides.

Naruto was sticking to the roof, watching as Kota looked around for him. Sighing, Naruto dropped a smoke bomb right behind Kota. It covered the brunette with smoke and blinded him. Naruto closed his eyes then opened them to reveal them being red with slits. Naruto stopped focusing chakra to his feet and dropped onto the smoke covered area. Naruto landed right behind Kota and disguised his chakra. He made a few hand seals, muttering, "_**Utsusemi no jutsu**_,"

"Kota, give up. I don't want to hurt you," Naruto's voice rang out throughout the whole room. It came from all directions, confusing most ninja there. Sarutobi snickered, knowing the details of that jutsu. He couldn't believe Naruto knew that, much less mastered it.

Kota looked around, not sure of where the blonde's voice was coming from. "No, show yourself." Kota demanded, looking around. "Just give up." Naruto said, his voice still echoing around the room. "No, you coward, show yourself!" Kota demanded again. He was getting frustrated, Naruto could tell.

Placing a kunai at Kota's neck but not really touching him, Naruto spoke again, this time dropping his jutsu. "I already did." Naruto whispered pressing his kunai against Kota's neck as the smoke started to disappear. Kota tensed as soon as he heard Naruto's voice. Naruto grabbed Kota's katana and took it away from him. Naruto threw the katana away and out of the disappearing smoke. When the smoke completely vanished, Amaya gasped at the sight under her.

"Give up, Kota. I don't want to hurt you. It's very unnecessary for me to do so. I only hurt people whenever I have to." Naruto said as he closed his eyes. "You have to hurt me now to win." Kota shot back, glaring over his shoulder. "No, I don't. I only have to force you to give up."

"And by that you have to hurt me. I'm not giving up." Kota said and tensed when Naruto pressed his kunai against his neck even more. Naruto stared at the back of his head before sighing, putting away the kunai. "Have it your way, then." Naruto muttered as he kicked Kota in the back, sending him into the opposite wall. Kota slid down to the ground and onto his knees. Kota looked over his shoulder at the blonde. Naruto was just standing there, watching him. Naruto looked behind to say something to Gaara and Kota took that to his advantage.

He ran up to him as he wiped some blood off the corner of his lips. Naruto glanced at Kota then back at Gaara, ducking under Kota's fist. Doing a handstand, Naruto kicked Kota in the ribs then turned around on his hands, hitting Kota's cheek with his other heel. Kota stepped back and Naruto used that momentum to land on all four and quickly take out his katana, turning around to slash his chest. Kota hissed and took another step back, holding his bleeding chest. It seemed that the barrage wasn't over, however, because Naruto pressed on. The blonde grabbed Kota's shoulders and pulled him towards him, ramming his knee in his gut. Naruto watched him double over and grabbed him by the waist, throwing him over his shoulder at the wall behind me.

Kota hit the wall with his back and slid to the ground, landing on his head. Naruto walked over to him and grabbed him by his front collar. He pulled the brunette up and onto his feet. Naruto then proceeded to kick Kota's foot, making him loose his balance. Naruto pushed Kota while he didn't have balance and sat on top of him when he was facing the ground.

Naruto grabbed Kota by the hair and pulled his head up, showing his face to everyone there. "Are you going to give up now?" He asked, a frown adorning his face. "No." Kota spat, slightly coughing. Naruto sighed and got off him only to get on all fours on him and press his knee on Kota's back. Kota grunted, closing his eyes at the pain. Naruto asked again, forcing the boy's eyes to open. Kota shook his head, only to scream when Naruto put more pressure on his injured back, stomach and chest.

Kota's scream did nothing to stop Naruto. Getting into the frenzy that was his demonic side, Naruto put more pressure on his knee, not bothering to ask this time. Instead of making him stop, Kota's next pain-stricken scream only encouraged Naruto to go on. Naruto gritted his teeth, watching as Kota grunted and spat out blood. The blonde then stood up and rammed his heel onto Kota's back.

Everyone watching was alarmed, even the Jonin seemed scared. Sakura and Gaara sensed a familiar chakra in the air. "Damn it, Kyuubi's encouraging him. We need to stop him before he kills Kota!" Sakura ordered as she jumped onto the arena, followed by Gaara. They landed in front of the panting Kota and the growling Naruto. When Naruto looked up at them, everyone in the room gasped. His eyes were red and he was snarling, fangs showing.

"Fuck!" Sakura cursed as she jumped on Naruto, making him fall on his back on the ground. Gaara sent his sand to hold Naruto's hands and legs down while he checked on Kota. Sakura straddled Naruto's waist as she rummaged through one of her pouches. To anyone without experience, it looked like they were about to start making-out with Sakura leaning over him the way she was.

Grasping a piece of thin paper, Sakura brought her hand out and placed the Fuin on Naruto's forehead. The blonde's eyes quickly glazed over before they turned back to blue and his fangs disappeared. Sakura hauled him up to glare into his eyes. "What the hell's wrong with you? You could've killed him if we hadn't stopped you!" She yelled at him, gripping his collar tightly. Naruto flinched at her tone of voice, knowing full well he was in trouble now.

"I don't know what came over me. You know how I feel whenever I hear someone beg me for mercy. I…I go into frenzy, Sakura-chan. You know I can't control myself whenever I have such a strong bloodlust! I'm a mercy at Kyuubi's will then! I only have so much control! With everything that's been plaguing my mind this past few weeks, I was bound to have a breaking point!" Naruto yelled back at her just as fiercely.

"You should've taken your anger out on somebody else, not on a poor Genin! Damn it, Naruto, I thought you had more control than this! You can't let Kyuubi talk you into killing someone!" Sakura gripped his shirt tighter, snarling. "You try having a century old demon sealed inside of you whispering into your ear, promising you all of the blood that will be shed and refusing! You would give into it, too, and you know that damn well!"

That cornered her. Naruto was right. She couldn't have refused. The three of them were cold-hearted killers. It was their job and they _liked_ it. Naruto and Gaara had a harder time to control their bloodlust than Sakura but she had her moments here and there, too. But Sakura wasn't about to admit that.

"It doesn't matter! Kota's innocent, he just wanted to prove that he wasn't a coward, not that he was your punching bag! You should have more control!" Sakura spat, ignoring his earlier comment. "You know that just because I managed to control Kyuubi's Katagawa no Jotai, doesn't mean I have full control of _our_ bloodlust! Fuck it, Sakura-chan, just let me go and apologize! We can argue all we want later!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him, making sure he wasn't releasing any of Kyuubi's chakra before getting off him and walking away. Sakura knelt next to Kota, checking if he was breathing right. He had a broken rib and that huge slash on his chest but nothing else seemed seriously injured. Naruto probably bruised Kota's back but that was all. Naruto got up and rolled his right shoulder, Sakura having tackled him to the ground and hurt it. He walked over to Kota, his head down.

"Hey, Kota, listen. I'm sorry about earlier. I don't know what came over me. I guess the fact that hurting people excites me too much messed with my head and I confused you for somebody else. I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it intentionally. I just wanted to cause you a little pain to get you to give up." Naruto apologized, his head still down. He hated apologizing so he kept his head down, not wanting anyone seeing his scowl. However, he did mean the apology. His only intention had been to cause Kota some slight damage to get him to give up.

Kota looked up at him then smiled slightly. "Don't worry, I understand, kind of. Besides, I don't want you getting in trouble with Sakura for hurting me too much." Kota said, making Naruto snap his head up. His eyes were wide, not used to being brushed off that easily. He was usually punished when he made a mistake, whether physically or economically, it was all up to the higher Akatsuki ranks.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the smile and nodded slowly, walking backwards, still wary of being brushed off. Sakura and Gaara helped Kota up and told Hayate to call for the medics. Naruto watched, a frown forming on his face. His eyes met Gaara's and he looked away, slightly ashamed.

The medics took Kota away and Hayate announced Naruto the winner. Naruto turned his back to everybody and had his head down as he walked up the stairs, Gaara and Sakura following close behind. When they reached Konan, Naruto was about to run a hand through his hair when he touched the Fuin on his Hitaiate. Growling slightly, Naruto ripped his Fuin off, crumbling into a ball of paper.

The screen shuffled the names again but Naruto didn't pay attention to that. He was being pulled into his mindscape. He closed his eyes, only to open them a second later. He looked around, not bothered by the sewer-like setting. He's been there many times so he knew the place like the back of his hand. He started walking, turning to the left to see a glowing red light at the end of the hall. When he reached the light, he turned to the right and walked into a giant room.

The room itself was plain and had weird marking on the floor and the walls. The only things there were the giant bars of a gate and the seal keeping the gate closed. Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his foot impatiently. Suddenly, two eyes opened before the bars, revealing bloodshot red with slits. The slits themselves were twice Naruto's height but that didn't intimidate the boy. At least, not anymore.

"What do you want, Kyuubi?" Naruto asked with gritted teeth. He hated talking to the demon, more so when it pulled him in to have a conversation. **"Don't show me disrespect, boy. I will not tolerate it."** Kyuubi replied, ignoring his question. If it were anyone else, they would have craped on themselves. But Naruto wasn't going to fool around today. "Look here, you oversized hairball, if it was any other day, I would have taken your thoughts and actions into consideration but I'm not in the mood to talk, much less to you."

**"Why you ungrateful little-…"** The Kyuubi stopped himself, exhaling a decent amount of air to become calm. Naruto's hair flew around wildly, having been standing in front of the demon. **"I called you here today because I wanted to talk to you about earlier."** The Kyuubi said, resting its eyes on the boy. "Be more specific, fur ball." Naruto demanded with a glare. Kyuubi glared at the name but explained nonetheless.

**"Our bloodlust against that Konohagakure ninja wannabe."**

"What about it?"

**"There's a reason why I wanted you to kill him." **Kyuubi muttered, his slits narrowing. Naruto clicked his tongue against his top teeth and slammed his hands on the bars. "Quit stalling and tell me why, you fucking fox!" Naruto growled as red chakra began to come out from the bars and swirl around his hands. It ran up to his shoulders before spreading throughout his back.

**"That kid is a spy."** Kyuubi finally said, and the red chakra stopped in its path as Naruto's eyes grew wide. Kota was a spy? No way. **"Before you deny it, think about it. Why was he so interested in you three? Why wasn't he killed by that snake bastard in Shi no Mori? Why did he shrug off your apology as if it was a normal thing to see someone want to kill you so desperately when it was just a competition? Why was that snake's scent all over him?"**

Realization hit Naruto in the forehead like a flying brick. Naruto stepped away from the bars, fisting his hands at his sides. The more he thought of it, the more it made sense. Kota seemed to know a little too much about them and was wary. He had also been observing everything they did, something that hadn't gone unnoticed but was brushed off as simple admiration. And the way he brushed off Naruto's bloodlust. If it was any other normal person out there, they would have freaked and told him to back off. But Kota just shrugged it off and went away with the medics. Then there was the smell. Naruto hadn't noticed it because it was very faint but Naruto was sure there was an underlying smell there and it certainly was similar to Orochimaru's.

"Fucking damn it, it can't get worse than this? So, that means there has always been a spy inside the Ninja Gakko and inside Team Seven?" Naruto asked but he already knew the answer.

**"So it seems,"**

Naruto glared at Kyuubi before pacing in front of the gate. Kyuubi's eyes followed his every move, silently wondering what the blonde was thinking. Naruto kept looking at the ground, shielding his eyes with his bangs. He stopped and ran a hand through his hair, making it stand out even more. "I have to tell Sakura-chan. She should know what to do." Naruto thought aloud. Kyuubi growled, bringing his attention.

**"Why are you so dependent of her? You can think of a plan, why tell her?"**

"Because whenever I think of a plan, it either backfires or it has loopholes and I end up getting in trouble for it. She's the brains, I'm the brawns and Gaara's the defence. I thought I told you that last year."

**"Or it's just the fact that we like our mate having domination in certain areas."** Kyuubi suggest like it was the simplest thing in the world. Despite the situation, Naruto blushed at the word 'mate'. They just started to explore and Kyuubi was already suggesting such things? He saw it coming but he didn't think the ball of fur was that perverted. Still, he couldn't deny the fact.

"Maybe but that's not important right now. I should really tell Sakura-chan so if you wouldn't mind pushing me out." Naruto gestures behind him and Kyuubi snorted. Naruto closed his eyes when he felt a pull.

When he opened them again, he gazed at the battle field below. A guy with glasses stood over the unconscious Zaku. Naruto glanced at the screen, reading the names. Aburame Shino vs. Abumi Zaku. The blonde looked down at the arena before shifting closer to Sakura, about whisper in her ear.

Sakura shoved him in the chest with her elbow, surprising him a little. "I'm still pissed at you for doing that. I'm not going to forgive you as fast as Kota." Sakura said, glaring at him from the corner of her eyes. Naruto set his jaw and stared hard. He moved around her to place a hand on her right shoulder. He knew what would get her to listen to him.

The blonde reached for her shoulder blade but Sakura shrugged him off. Naruto grounded his teeth before grabbing her shoulder and spinning her to face him. He then gently but quickly ran his thumb over the spot where her birthmark was at. Sakura's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she leaned on him for support, a wave of pleasure wracking her body.

Naruto held her and leaned into her ear. "Kota is not who you think he is. He has Orochimaru's lingering scent. Kyuubi thinks he's Orochimaru's spy." He said glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention as the winner was declared. Sakura's eyes shot open and she grabbed the hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure?" Sakura asked in his ear, her voice low as so no one would hear her. "Yes. I'm not sure how he got a hold of Kota but he did. Kota's working for that snake bastard." Naruto confirmed with a growl.

Sakura gritted her teeth and sighed through her nose. Closing her eyes, she leaned on Naruto a little more. "I wish this was all over. I'm so tired." She laid her forehead on his shoulder, wanting to catch a nap. Naruto lowered his eyes before pushing her away slightly, making her open her eyes. His lips twitched upwards, giving her the impression that he smiled.

The sound of two clicks brought their attention to the screen above them. The next fighters had been picked.

Haruno Amaya vs. Yamanaka Ino

Amaya looked over at Ino, who did the same and their gazes met. Amaya grunted and jumped down onto the arena. Ino did the more feminine thing and went for the stairs. While waiting for Ino to come down, Amaya let her gaze fall on Sakura. Naruto was still holding her as they looked at the screen. At the same time, they both looked at her and she looked away just as Ino reached the last stair.

Hayate asked if they were ready and they both reacted with positive reactions. "Begin!" Hayate jumped out of the way but the two girls didn't move an inch. They just stared at each other, heated glares being exchanged. The room remained quiet until Kiba got fed up and yelled at them to start.

"Why don't they move?" Naruto asked, letting go of Sakura's shoulder to lock her hand with his. "They're seizing each other up. They're showing so much hatred towards each other, it would be kind of interesting to see why they were acting this way." Gaara said with his arms crossed over his chest. Naruto raised his brow then looked down at the battle. Ino had moved to take a defensive stance.

Amaya took a step back, getting ready to run at her. Instead, she threw kunai at the blonde. Ino scoffed and deflected them with her own kunai, a mock grin forming on her face. "Come on, do you really think those kiddie tricks are going to fool me?" Ino mocked, waving her attacks off. Amaya frowned, narrowing her eyes at her. She glanced up to see Sakura's bored stare. Their gazes met and Amaya could clearly see the disappointment in them. The red head looked back at her opponent, shaking her thoughts away. She needed to focus, not pay attention to her younger sister's opinion.

As she took on a more serious fighting stance, the academy's Taijutsu stance, Amaya couldn't help but look up again. Sakura had looked away and started a whispered conversation with her sensei. Getting fed up with not being paid attention to, Amaya charged forward. Ino took a step back, prepared for anything. Amaya threw shuriken this time but they were deflected again. That was okay. They were enough of a distraction to cast the only Genjutsu she knew. "_**Kasumi Juusha no jutsu**_," Amaya muttered as she finished making the hand signs.

Ino looked around, seeing multiple Amaya surround her. "_**Bunshin no jutsu**_? You're unbelievable." Ino said, shaking her head. The real Amaya jumped back and ran over to Ino's right. Ino stayed facing forward, thinking Amaya was there. Amaya threw a weapon then jumped over Ino to her other side to throw another. Ino just stood still, confident that they were Bunshin. When the weapons grazed her skin, Ino's eyes went wide and she prepared for the next attack. She looked to her front, seeing a kunai coming her way. She blocked it then ducked under a punch.

Amaya watched as Ino stared ducking and dodging punches. Amaya then formed a hand sign and Ino turned her back on her and started walking backwards, right into her. Smirking, Amaya took out a kunai to end the fight quickly. That was the plan until Ino turned around and punched her in the face. Amaya staggered backwards, holding her nose. Ino took this to her advantage and made a hand seal. "_**Shintenshin no jutsu**_," Her body went limp and she fell to the ground as Amaya gasped, her eyes widening. Because they were so close and Amaya was experiencing pain, the slow jutsu worked.

Ino's spirit entered Amaya's mindscape and giggled. "Oh, yeah, I won." Ino said as she forced Amaya's hand to rise in the air. Sakura scoffed, turning her back to the fight. She knew it was over. If Amaya didn't find a way to break the jutsu on her own, she was done for. Ino studied her reaction before turning to the proctor. "Proctor, I, Haruno Amaya, forfeit this-" Ino stopped talking as she felt a push. Sakura looked over her shoulder, seeing Amaya hesitate. Her eyes narrowed but she turned her head away when she saw Amaya's eyes focus again.

"Anyway, as I was saying, I give u-" Ino stopped again, and this brought almost everyone's attention.

Inside her head, Amaya was watching everyone's reaction as Ino raised her hand. She focused more on her team's reaction first. Sasuke was watching but there was no show of interest. Her eyes landed on her sister's team. Naruto was leaning casually on the railing, his expression clearly stating that he was bored. However, his shoulders seemed tensed, in case he had to go into action. Gaara was to his left side, watching the fight uninterested. Sakura, however, wasn't even paying attention. She had her back to her and her arms crossed over her chest, as if to say she had been expecting this result.

Amaya gritted her teeth and tried to take control of her body but only managed to get Ino to stop talking. Trying again but only succeeding in making Ino stop talking again. Amaya groaned then looked back at Sakura. She still had her back to her but now had started a conversation with Naruto. Amaya's heart dropped some because she had started to develop a crush on the blonde boy….

Wait, what?

Amaya furrowed her brows as she went into thought. After a few seconds, she confirmed it. She was crushing on Naruto and Sasuke. There was nothing wrong with that, right? Well, whatever. All she needed to do was get Ino out of her body so she could impress Sasuke, Naruto _and_ Sakura. Easier said than done. Amaya sighed to calm down and closed her eyes. She imagined kicking Ino out of her head.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she looked at Ino's limp body on the ground. Taking advantage of it, Amaya ran forward and punched Ino in the face twice before putting a kunai to her neck. Ino's eyes opened groggily before they widened. "This is it," Amaya panted out. Ino looked at her then at the proctor. She sighed, seeing no quick way out of the situation she got herself into.

"Fine, I give up."

Amaya grinned and stood up, looking around. She frowned when no one clapped at her victory, not even Kota seemed happy about it. However, what made her happy was that Naruto had stopped talking to her sister and Sakura was looking over her shoulder at her. Then again, Sakura was just staring at her, not smiling or congratulating her. It was just a simple, bored stare.

Huffing, Amaya walked over to the staircase, walking up the flights to her team. Kakashi smiled at her, or at least it looked like he did. Sasuke nodded at her in acknowledgement. She turned to the board as the names started shuffling again.

Sakura looked at the screen over her shoulder, having a feeling that the next battle is going to be hers. When the names stopped shuffling, Team Eight shuddered; even Shino had a frown on his face.

Haruno Sakura vs. Hyuga Hinata

Hinata's eyes widened as they landed on Sakura. Sighing, Sakura started walking down the stairs. Hinata hesitated before starting to walk to the arena. When the two stood facing each other on the floor below, Hayate placed his hand in between them. "Ready?" He asked, coughing at the end. "H-Hai," Hinata stuttered, her eyes glancing everywhere besides the girl in front of her. Sakura only nodded her head, her eyes never leaving the Hyuga.

"Begin!"

Hinata flinched slightly at his voice before jumping back, going into a defensive stance of the _**Juuken**_. Sakura didn't move an inch, instead just settled to watch her opponent. Hinata didn't move, either, after she had entered her family's Taijutsu style. Hinata activated her _**Byakugan**_, watching Sakura carefully.

"You saw us, didn't you?" Sakura's question rolled out of her mouth before she could stop it. Hinata froze, knowing exactly what she was talking about. Her team had seen the Amegakure Genin kill the Takigakure team. It had been brutal, something Team Eight will never forget. It had been their first time watching someone kill in front of their eyes. To make matters worse, the three hadn't gotten a scratch on themselves during that fight, meaning their power was beyond theirs.

"Hai," Hinata muttered, nodding her head. She didn't want to piss the girl off; she didn't feel like dying just yet. Sakura hummed, glancing to the side. "Hinata, how old are you?"

"Thirteen,"

"And that was your first time seeing death happen right before your eyes, correct?"

"Yes."

Sakura huffed, looking around the room. If it was her first time seeing anyone die right before her, then none of the Rookie Genin there had seen the depths of real death. And that wasn't saying much of their skill in real combat.

Sakura's eyes snapped over to Hinata before she disappeared. Sakura appeared behind Hinata, holding up the serpent hand seal. A swirl of wind surrounded Hinata before it died down. Hinata's eyes became glazed over as Sakura dropped the Genjutsu on her. Because during their small talk Hinata had dropped her Byakugan, Sakura had been able to trap her inside a Genjutsu. "**Magen: Narakumi no jutsu**," Sakura announced as she watched Hinata's facial expressions change.

Inside the Genjutsu, Hinata had suddenly appeared on the rooftop of an alley. She was kneeling down, looking over the edge. Her eyes widened when she saw the man raping the young girl. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the images and sounds coming from below.

Sakura saw Hinata close her eyes and try to cover her ears. Sakura made a simple hand sign and four **Kage Bunshin** appeared around Hinata. Kiba was about to yell out her name until he noticed that the **Bunshin** hadn't attacked but rather opened Hinata's eyes and took her hands away from her ears. The pink haired Kunoichi waited until the scene was over and the young girl killed until she made another hand sign.

Hinata watched as the man pulled out a switchblade and whispered something in the girl's ear before slitting her throat. Then a shuriken was thrown at the man's head, killing him in an instant. Hinata's eyes widened when she realized she had thrown the weapon. That's when her stomach decided to take action and she returned her breakfast.

Sakura dropped the Genjutsu and dispersed the **Kage Bunshin**, looking at the Hyuga with a bored stare as she threw up her breakfast on the floor. Everyone in the room groaned, some of them getting a stomach ache because of it. "Sakura-chan, you're so cruel." Naruto commented, shaking his head with a smirk. He knew what she had done to Hinata and the results amused him slightly, because that was how _she_ had reacted at the scene when it was over.

Sakura dropped her hand, the shuriken Hinata had thrown in between her fingers. Sighing slightly, she rummaged through her pouch before walking over to the girl. Hinata looked up when a pill came into her line of vision. "Here, it'll help stop the nausea." Sakura said, having knelt down in front of the girl to hold out the pill. Hinata, warily, took it and swallowed it, her stomach quickly stopping the tossing and turning.

The Amegakure Kunoichi stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "It was a pretty hardcore scene, right? You wouldn't believe me if I told you that I saw that when I was only six." Sakura informed, bringing a gasp out of Hinata's mouth. "Of course, I didn't kill him, my sensei did. I didn't know how to throw a shuriken at that moment, yet. I reacted the same way you just did. Though I have to admit, I lost some of my humanity that night because of it." Sakura looked over at the younger girl before shaking her head.

Hinata stood up, lowering her eyes. "You comprehend what being a ninja is more than any other Genin here," she said, her stutter leaving her. Sakura watched as Hinata looked at her, tears running down her face. "I think it is because you have been through so much…That you have been through so much and because of that you behave this way. You're scared and to cover it up, you act cold towards everyone else. You kill because you don't want to be killed. You survive because you're still finding your way."

Sakura's eyes softened, a small smile overcoming her lips. However, the smile was more to herself than to the Kunoichi standing in front of her. "You were right in the first two parts. However, I kill because it is my job and partially because I like it. I do have a purpose; I found my way the day my sensei took me under his wing." Her eyes hardened and her smile turned into a smirk, making Hinata take a step back. "I'm going to take my revenge on the Haruno clan and I'll dispose of those who stand in my way."

Hinata shook her head, bringing her hands up to her chest. "Revenge isn't the way, Sakura-san!"

The pink haired girl frowned, "You think I'll forgive them if they go down on their knees and beg? After all the shit they put me through, after all the glares, insults and neglecting? I'd rather set the Kyuubi no Yoko free on Konohagakure than forgive them. They can all go rot in Hell for all I care. I've no bonds with them, why should I give them mercy when they didn't to me?"

"Because it's not the right thing!"

Sakura chuckled, closing her eyes for a second. She opened them to glare. "It's not the right thing? We're Shinobi, we're going to kill or be killed sooner or later. We're all going to Hell, might as well have a reason for it." Sakura placed her hands on her hips and leaned on one leg, looking to the right slightly. Hinata shook her head, not believing what she was hearing.

"No-"

"Hinata," Said girl looked at her, flinching under the stare. "Thank you for trying to reason with me but I've been pursuing this path for the past seven years. I'm not going to give it up. It's what has made me this strong so far. Revenge is my forte, whether people like it or not." Sakura concluded then rested her hand on the hilt of her katana. Hinata saw this and activated her **Byakugan**.

_'Atta girl,'_ Konan thought, smirking. The fight was going to start and Sakura seemed ready.

The Hyuga heiress got into her Juuken stance. She extended her left hand at Sakura, showing her palm. The other hand was close to her midsection in the same position as the other one. She had taken a step back, lowering her body a bit. Sakura crouched to the ground low, her right hand on the hilt of the katana. Her other hand reached out, as if it had claws. She spread her legs, her eyes meeting Hinata's.

That was it. Time to get down to business.

Sakura was the first to move. She ran at Hinata at a speed not many here could keep up with. She unsheathed her katana, holding it backwards. She brought her hand down, planning on slashing upwards with her sword. Hinata sprinted backwards, avoiding the slash. Sakura picked up her speed and slashed down, only succeeding in slashing Hinata's lower arm. Hinata winced in pain, avoiding another slash.

Sakura jumped back, quickly making hand seals when she landed a few good meters away from the heiress. "_**Katon: Housenka no jutsu**_," She yelled out, putting her fingers to her lips and exhaling through her mouth. Small balls of fire erupted from her mouth, flying towards Hinata at an alarming speed. Hinata moved to the side, avoiding them completely. They embedded themselves in the wall. When the fire went out, five shuriken had taken their place.

Sasuke's eyes widened, his eyes landing on Sakura, who had switched back to using Kenjutsu. _'That's one of the Uchiha clan's Katon Ninjutsu. How does she know how to use it properly?'_ Sasuke thought, then his eyes widened when he remembered what they had discussed in Nami.

_-Flashback-_

_When the smoke cleared, Naruto stood there with his arms crossed. "Pathetic. Do you really think you're going to beat Itachi like that?" Naruto asked his voice rough and overpowering. Sasuke's eyes shot open as he looked at the kitsune._

_"How do you…?" Sasuke trailed as he stared at Naruto with wide eyes. "Who do you think trained us?" Sakura asked walking up by Naruto, Gaara following her example. Realization fell on Team Seven as they stared at the Akuma no_ _Buntai__**. **__Sasuke then glared at them. "Where's Itachi?" He asked and they knew that they had hit a rough spot. "We don't know. He comes and goes, you know. He never stays in one place for long," Sakura said with a shrug. And that was only half-true. He doesn't stay in one place for long while traveling. However, Amegakure is his home now. Of course he's going to stay there._

_"You were trained by Uchiha Itachi?" Amaya asked as she walked up to them. "Yes. Is something wrong with that?" Gaara asked turning to her._

_-End Flashback-_

_'Itachi taught her…'_ Sasuke concluded as he watched the rest of the fight.

Sakura ducked under Hinata's strike then sprinted forward while still in a crouch, tackling Hinata to the ground with her shoulder. Hinata fell on her back, hissing in pain as Sakura stabbed her in a non-fatal spot in her midsection. Sakura watched her carefully as she coughed up blood before placing her hand on top of the wound, where her katana was still embedded in. "Don't move," Sakura commanded as her hand glowed green. Hinata grunted when Sakura pulled out her katana and stopped the bleeding momentarily.

"Have medics take her. I stabbed her in a non-fatal place but she could bleed to death if not taken care of quickly. I've stopped the bleeding but I guarantee you it won't last long." Sakura said, glancing at Hayate. He called for the medics as Sakura got off the Hyuga. She stood to the side, watching as Hinata was hauled onto a stretcher. Sakura nodded at Hinata in acknowledgement when she had looked at her.

"Winner of this match is Haruno Sakura." Hayate announced and Sakura started walking up the stairs. When she reached her team, Naruto and Gaara rewarded her with small grins. The girl rolled her eyes but smirked back at them. Konan placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, whispering a low "Congratulations," in her ear before going back to the position she had been in during the whole ordeal.

"You're so cruel." Naruto told her with a chuckle. Sakura smirked, shrugging. "But that's why you love me," This earned her a low, seductive growl. "Oh, yes, I do."

Gaara rolled his eyes at the exchange but nudged Sakura in the shoulder, turning his head away as soon as she focused her attention on him. Sakura snickered and grabbed him in a headlock, rubbing his head and earning a groan of pain and embarrassment. "Suck it up, Tanuki."

Two clicks caught their attention as they went to gaze at the screen, Gaara having a little trouble because of the headlock he was in. The names made Sakura let go of Gaara.

Inuzuka Kiba vs. Sabaku no Gaara

Gaara grunted, a little disappointed that Sakura had to stop her ministrations. Sakura nudged him, and then nodded towards the arena. Gaara got the message. They could do that some other time, right now he just needed to win the fight. He jumped down onto the arena and looked at Kiba as he waited for him.

"Ready?" Hayate asked then jumped back, declaring the start of the match. Gaara wasted to time in small chat like his teammates had done. He manoeuvred his sand to grab Kiba's ankles and threw him at the ground. However, Kiba recovered at the last minute and landed on his feet, jumping away to dodge the sand. He landed and took out a pill, giving one to his dog, who was hiding in his hood.

"_**Juujin Bunshin**_," Kiba announced before white smoke surrounded the dog. Gaara watched, slightly interested in what's happening. So far, Kiba and Shikamaru have been the ones who had intrigued him and his team. Shikamaru had plenty of tricks up his sleeve and seemed like a pretty good tactician. Then, the fact that he didn't either underestimate or brag about his strength had captured all of their attention. He had seemed to know when his limit was. You were pretty powerful and careful if you knew your limit.

The smoke around the dog disappeared, bringing Gaara's attention back to the fight. The dog had turned into Kiba and that made Gaara wary. Whenever he fought with Naruto's **Kage Bunshin**, he knew which one was the real one because the **Kage Bunshin** didn't bleed or have heartbeats. And because he knew of Naruto's typical strategy of letting his clones do all of his dirty work while he stood back, watching.

Of course, he wasn't fighting Naruto but an Inuzuka and his familiar.

"_**Shikyaku no jutsu**_," Kiba's eyes became thinner slits and he grew more animal-like canines. His nails grew to become one inch claws. Kiba went on all four, his hood falling off to reveal brown hair. He bared his fangs, glaring at Gaara. The red head smirked, crossing his arms. "Oh, come on, then." Gaara taunted, liking where things were headed.

"Let's go, Akamaru." Kiba ordered as he ran at Gaara using all four limbs, Akamaru following him. "_**Gatsuga**_!" Kiba and Akamaru jumped in the air, spinning at a rapid pace. Gaara watched the come closer before side-stepping their attacks. Gaara watched as they drilled on the ground then jumped back. He noticed something about them and shook his head, already seeing a flaw in their technique.

Their attack stopped and they stood there, Akamaru seeming to be standing on all four while Kiba stood, crouched to the floor. Gritting his teeth, Kiba prepared for another attack.

Up in the stands, Shikamaru scoffed, bringing everyone's attention. "Kiba made a fatal mistake. Gaara noticed a flaw in their synchronized attacks. He's going to use that as his advantage when they attack him again." Shikamaru informed and Sakura and Naruto couldn't help but chuckle a little in an evil way.

"_**Gatsuga**_!" Kiba yelled as he started spinning, along with Akamaru, and flew towards Gaara. Gaara jumped up then landed right by the attack. Akamaru's spin started slowing down before Kiba's until it came to a complete stop. Gaara grabbed the pup and jumped away, holding him by his two front paws. Kiba stopped spinning when he heard Akamaru whimper.

He glared at Gaara then gasped when Gaara made a _**Suna Bunshin**_ and had it press his katana against Akamaru's head. The pup whimpered as Kiba snarled at him in fear and plea. "Let him go!" Kiba yelled, taking a step forward. At the step, the _**Suna Bunshin**_ pressed the real copy's katana even closer to Akamaru's head. "Let Akamaru go!"

"You know what to do." The real Gaara said, nodding towards Hayate. Kiba gritted his teeth before smirking. Smoke surrounded him and Akamaru. Gaara grunted, Akamaru suddenly becoming heavy. When both smokes disappeared, Kiba had taken Akamaru's place and vice versa. Kiba broke away from Gaara's hold and turned around, punching Gaara in the face. It would've hurt, if it had been the real Gaara. The _**Suna**_ _**Bushin**_'s face got deformed when Kiba's fist connected but then a grin formed itself on his lips. The sand from the _**Suna Bunshin**_ wrapped around Kiba's fist, holding him in place.

They heard a whimper and Kiba looked over his shoulder to see Gaara holding Akamaru by one of his hind legs. "Akamaru!" Kiba yelled, trying to break free from the sand. He punched it and everyone in the room heard a crack. Groaning in pain, Kiba bit his lip. With his knuckles broken, he being captured and Akamaru held hostage, he had no other choice but to give up.

"Fine, I give," Kiba grunted and winced in pain as the proctor announced Gaara the winner. Gaara gently put Akamaru on the ground before turning his back to them. Kiba grabbed Akamaru with his uninjured hand as the _**Suna Bushin**_ dispersed. He looked up to stop Gaara before he climbed up the stairs. "Hey, wait!" Gaara stopped, turning to look at him. Seeing that he got his attention, Kiba kept going. "Why didn't you kill me?"

Gaara furrowed his eyes, a confused expression overtaking his face. The brunette continued when he saw that expression. "You guys killed that Takigakure team in the Shi no Mori without showing any mercy or having any remorse. Why didn't you kill Hinata or me?" Kiba asked, his stare hard. He didn't get this team at all. They were confusing him and he didn't like to be confused. Gaara turned his back on him, walking up the stairs.

"Hey, I'm talking to-"

"There was no need in killing you," Gaara interrupted as he reached his team and leaned on the railing to look at him. "Out there, it was kill or be killed. In here, all you have to do is make your opponent give up. There was no need in killing you or the Hyuga. Besides, those ninja had it coming, with what disrespecting Naruto here. And if we had killed you or the Hyuga, who was to be the next Head, Amegakure's alliance with Konohagakure could have worsened. We are in no position for that." Gaara explained, though most of it was just an excuse. Truth was, they were going to be present at the Third Phase. If they managed to survive whatever surprise attack Orochimaru and Kabuto had in store for them, they could be pretty useful. That was why it was silently agreed not to seriously injure any of the Konoha ninja. Now, Oto and Suna forces were another thing…

Kiba looked down and nodded, leaving with the medical team to get his knuckles checked.

The next two fights had been over pretty quick. Rock Lee vs. Tsuchi and Tenten vs. Sabaku no Temari. Lee had won by using only Taijutsu and showed everyone that he was pretty fast, probably even faster than anyone else there. Temari had won by using her Futon element but had come in a close call to Tenten's weapons. Since it had been an odd number of participants, Neji had gotten a free pass onto the next part.

Pretty soon, all of the winners had gathered in front of the Hokage and Jonin. "Congratulations to you all. Every single one of you passes onto the Third Phase of the Exams. It will be similar to this one, a one-on-one battle. However, as I said before, there will be a bigger audience watching. The Final Phase will take place in one month at Konoha's Tournament Arena. We have scheduled the fights as followed: Fight A will be Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyuga Neji, Fight B will be Nara Shikamaru vs. Aburame Shino, Fight C will be Sabaku no Kankuro vs. Rock Lee, Fight D will be Haruno Amaya vs. Haruno Sakura and Fight E will be Uchiha Sasuke vs. Sabaku no Temari. Sabaku no Gaara will not fight in this part but rather the next. For the other half of the tournament, the fights will be as followed: Winner of Fight A vs. Winner of Fight C, Winner of Fight B vs. Winner of Fight D and Winner of Fight E vs. Sabaku no Gaara."

"I congratulate you all once again for making it this far. You are dismissed." The Hokage bowed at them before turning to the ninja behind him. Naruto stretched his arms, looking at his teammates. "Well, looks like we don't have to fight each other, then." He said, receiving two nods. "Come on, we should get lunch." Konan suggested as they started walking out of the room. "There's also something we need to talk about," Sakura added and by the tone of voice it was important and n

eded to be discussed as fast as possible.

As they made their way out, all of the Genin's eyes were on them. Amaya grounded her teeth, glaring at her sister's back. _'Don't think that just because you won against Hinata means that you're going to beat me.'_

_Akuma no Buntai….An Hour Later_

Konan looked over the two, her eyes narrowing. Naruto had just explained what Kyuubi had informed him of Kota and Sakura had backed it up with some details of her own. She had to give it to them, they were the perfect duo. She had never seen them in action herself but she had heard from the other Akatsuki members that the two, if not all three of them, were quick to reconsider and throw details or information into the suggestions. Now that she had a chance to work with them, even if just for a few days, she could see that Itachi had trained them well. She thought back to a conversation she had witness between Itachi and Pein a month ago.

_-Flashback-_

_"From what I've heard of Deidara and Sasori's reports on missions with them, they're pretty remarkable." Pein said, looking up from a mission report. "You've trained them well, Itachi."_

_Said man closed his eyes then shook his head slightly. "No, they've trained themselves." Itachi said before opening his eyes. "They're naturals at this. They were meant to be a team. I just gave them the necessary items and information for them to succeed. They've been held back by their parents, leaders or peers. No one would volunteer to wake the powers within them. I just did what I thought was correct."_

_"And you were right in doing this. With them, we could have a huge impact on Ame just as well as in other nations. These kids have a tendency of tricking everyone into thinking they're the enemy when they're actually doing the right thing. This world will be rid of any bad guys in no time with them."_

_"They're not tools, Pein." Itachi warned, his eyes glaring. Pein scoffed. "I never said they were. Members of Akatsuki aren't treated as mere tools but rather human beings working together to accomplish a goal. And whether you want to admit it or not, you're proud of them and wouldn't trade them for anything else in the world, not even your family."_

_Itachi stood quiet, knowing that the orange-headed leader had a point. "You are correct. I wouldn't trade them for anything, they're my family and so is the rest of Akatsuki. However, going back on topic, do you really think they'll be ready to face this?" Itachi asked, his eyes softening just slightly to show his worry._

_Pein leaned back in his chair, folding his arms and closing his eyes. "The decision is not mine but rather yours. You've been their mentor for the past seven years. I've only been sending them on missions and scheduling their training sessions with the rest of Akatsuki. I haven't seen them in action yet, nor do I plan on doing so any time soon. The decision for them to take control is yours and yours only."_

_-End Flashback-_

Konan snapped out of her thoughts when Sakura called for her. "Nee-chan, we'll leave you to think about future plans and decisions. Also, I wrote down some of the details on a scroll, knowing you'd want to go over them with Pein-sama as soon as you leave." Sakura said as Naruto and Gaara waited for her at the door. Konan raised her brow, questioning her. "I know you're leaving tomorrow to discuss further details and plans with the rest of Akatsuki while we stay here. I wrote down everything they need to know there and a few of other stuff." Sakura explained as she reached for the doorknob to close the door.

"All right, where are you three headed?"

"We're going to get lunch and check on our Chakra no Shizen Buredo. We'll be back by nightfall." With that, the three of them left the room. Konan turned to her backpack and resumed packing.

In the streets, Naruto and Gaara were arguing about where they were going to eat lunch. Naruto, as always, wanted Ramen but Gaara felt like eating sushi. Sakura watched them, half amused at the statements they were throwing at each other. When Naruto threatened Gaara with a growl, Sakura decided that it was enough. "Why don't we eat some BBQ?" She asked, getting their attention. Gaara stared at her before shrugging, agreeing with her. Naruto sighed, knowing that majority always won, and nodded with a disappointed frown.

Sakura rolled her eyes before jamming her hand in his pocket, where his own hand was fisted in. She intertwined their fingers together, bringing a grin to his face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gaara staring at them with a frown on his face. With her free hand, she grabbed his ear and brought him closer, wrapping her arm around his neck when they were close enough. "My two little demon boys, you give me such a headache sometimes." Sakura stated, humour lacing off every word. Gaara chuckled, smiling up at Sakura while Naruto huffed and looked away but a grin betrayed his act.

_Haruno Residence…._

Amaya sighed as she opened the front door to her house. She took off her sandals and plopped down on the couch right next to her father. "So, how did it go?" Haiiro asked, taking his eyes off the scroll to look at her. Amaya sighed again and leaned her head back, letting her hair fall over the neck of the couch. "I passed. I'm going to the Third Phase of the Chunin Exams." Amaya announced, though she didn't sound very happy.

"You don't sound very happy about it." Haiiro concluded, narrowing his eyes at her. "I'm not." Amaya replied, trying to avoid his stare.

"Well then, you better cheer up. I didn't come all the way from Yugakure no Sato to see you sulking all day." A voice boomed, making Amaya stand up immediately and turn around. "Daichi-_**jiji**_, Arisu-_**obaa-chan**_!" Amaya cried out, running over to hug her grandparents. Daichi had long white hair, similar to Haiiro's in style and black eyes. Arisu had pale brown hair and hazel eyes.

Amaya hugged them then let go to grin at them. "So, what's this? You entered the Chunin Exams and managed to go to the last round?" Daichi asked, holding her shoulders. "Yeah, it's going to be a one-on-one battle." Amaya confirmed as Haiiro stood up, and Keiko and Hitomi came downstairs. "Do you know who you're fighting against?" Arisu asked, smiling down at her.

Instantly, Amaya's smile faltered and became a frown. She looked down, glaring at the floor. "Yes, I know." Her whisper was barely audible and tension grew between the people in the house. Haiiro had frowned, knowing something was wrong with his daughter. Daichi had let go of her and Keiko had walked over to them to see what had happened.

"Who are you fighting?" Haiiro asked, kneeling down to her height. Amaya glanced at him before answering.

"_Her_,"

Her parents' eyes widened. Haiiro looked down then stood up, determined to talk to the Hokage. Amaya caught up with what he wanted to do but held him back, telling him she'll take care of it at the fight. Haiiro had agreed, thinking that Amaya was stronger than Sakura.

"Well, we shouldn't just sit here. The fight's in one month and I know you two are going to spend the rest of the time training so let's go out and celebrate your passing of the First Two Stages." Arisu said as she made her way to the door. Everyone followed soon after, heading out to get lunch.

_Akuma no Buntai….._

"Damn it, Gaara, that piece was mine!"

"Exactly, it _was_ yours."

Sakura snickered at their actions as Gaara chewed on the last cooked meat. They had divided the pieces to have equal amounts but Naruto had been so wrapped up in the rice that he didn't notice Gaara sneaking some of his pieces until there was only the uncooked pieces there.

Sakura dipped a piece of bread in the BBQ sauce before placing it in her mouth as she watched her two teammates argue over the food. Her eyes landed on Naruto, who was seating by her, then on Gaara, who was in front of her. She reached over to turn the meat as they continued their bickering. Looking around, she saw that their swearing and cursing had gotten the attention of many customers.

Hitting them over their heads, Sakura shut them up. "Shut the hell up before I kick you out and eat the rest of this by myself." Sakura hissed in their ears, receiving two shudders. The two immediately resumed eating, fearing their teammate's wrath. Sakura sat back down, happy to get some peace and quiet. She apologized silently to the workers and customers before going back to her food.

Naruto's nose twitched and he sat up, looking over their booths to the entrance of the restaurant. He nudged Sakura in the shoulder before signalling her to look over. Sakura sat up on her knees and looked at the entrance, groaning when she saw who it was entering. She sat back down, followed by Naruto. Gaara sent them a questioning look before looking over at the entrance. He looked back at Sakura and smirked. He had to dodge the cutting knife thrown at his face or he wouldn't have had an eye.

"Don't. Fuck. Around." Sakura growled under her breath but, somehow, both of them heard her. Naruto chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, whispering something into her ear. Gaara rolled his eyes at their actions and snagged a few of Naruto's pieces again. Sakura shook her head at Naruto's words before pushing him off and reaching for some meat.

As Amaya and her family passed by their table, Sakura glanced at them. She raised her brow when she saw her grandparents. _'__**Jiji-san**__ and __**Baa-chan**__ are here? That's something you don't see every day.'_ Sakura thought, narrowing her eyes at the bunch. They landed on Hitomi and she laid her head down on the table, watching her. It was like looking at a mirror when she had six years and if she dyed her hair and eyebrows brown.

"Gaara, that's my piece, damn it!"

Naruto's voice snapped her out of her thoughts as she glared at her teammates. "Both of you stop it. You're bringing unwanted attention to us." Sakura told them, raising her head off the table. The boys looked at her before shutting up. Sakura sighed and pushed some of her pieces to Naruto, whose mouth watered as soon as he saw them. He leaned over and pecked Sakura's cheek. "I love you so much," He thanked her then started devouring his meat. Sakura rolled her eyes and looked at Gaara, sticking her tongue out at him. Gaara glared and popped a ball of rice in his mouth.

Sakura snickered as she started eating again. Looking around, she decided it was time to act. "You two, let's go." Sakura said, quickly standing up. Gaara took a bite out of a piece of bread before following her out the door. Naruto put three rather big pieces of meat in his mouth before laying down money to pay for the food. He grabbed Gaara's unfinished piece of bread and followed his team out the door.

"Where are we going, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked once he had swallowed the food in his mouth. Sakura only stared forward, ignoring his question for the time being. Gaara and Naruto looked at each other before getting serious, knowing whatever was going to happen next was going to be pretty intense. Finally, after ten minutes of walking, Sakura stopped on the entrance to the section where all of the training grounds were stationed at. She glanced over her shoulder at her team before taking a few steps forward.

"We're doing something we didn't tell Konan-nee-chan."

_Otogakure Team…._

Zaku huffed, looking to the side as his teammates glared at him. Orochimaru had just come by, asking more of their services for the invasion. Zaku had talked back but only received scolding from Kin and Dosu when Orochimaru had left them with a plan and blueprints of the invasion.

They were to act as the forces inside the village along with most of the Sunagakure ninja. Because they were all beaten in the Preliminaries, they couldn't get close enough to guard Orochimaru while he dealt with the Hokage. So, that meant, that they were to act as first offence and attack any Konoha Shinobi they encountered, including that stinking Amegakure Team. Orochimaru had asked of them to get rid of the three but they were sure that he had meant of it as an order.

Now, before Dosu or Kin had a word in, the sound of a katana being unsheathed caught their attention. They looked over their shoulders, only to have blades placed at their necks.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Naruto teased, humming at the end. His eyes were covered by his long bangs, something the three noticed that all of them were doing. Naruto grabbed Zaku by his hair and pulled his head back, completely exposing his neck. "Make a move and I'll rip you to shreds." The threat was accompanied by the katana cutting some of his neck.

"Give us the blueprints and/or any information you guys have on the invasion before we decide to give you a slow but painful death." Sakura threatened, pulling on Kin's hair. Gaara's sand grabbed the blueprints in Dosu's hands before it placed it in his pouch. "Good. Now talk. You have sixty seconds." Sakura commanded and everything came out of their mouths. They gave details, numbers and identities along with squads and forces. Sakura listed every small detail before she heard enough.

"Your sixty seconds are up. Goodnight," Sakura sliced Kin's head off, blood spluttering all over her katana and arm. She held her head before throwing it over her shoulder, blood dripping on her cheek and hair. Gaara sliced Dosu's head off clean before cleaning his sword on his jacket then sheathing it. Naruto was the most gruesome of the three. He sliced Zaku's neck half way before walking in front of him and slicing his chest open. Then, he stabbed his heart, closing his eyes to avoid blood landing in them. Letting go of the body, Naruto tried to wipe some blood off his face, only to have it smear all over his cheeks and chin.

"Come on, we need to pick up our weapons." Sakura said, walking away from the scene. "Aren't you going to burn them?" Gaara asked as they started walking out of the training ground. "I have a feeling Orochimaru wasn't planning on having them in the invasion forces." Sakura said before deciding it would be better to sprint on trees and rooftops. They took off to the trees, soon after jumping on rooftops.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, bumping chakra into his legs to come side-by-side with the other two. "Think about it. Why would you put someone who's injured in the inside forces? Even if it's just an act, there's not much point in it. Whether it'd be an act or not, it wouldn't make a difference. Besides, you guys know the requirements for the _**Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei**_. Orochimaru isn't going to waste such an opportunity to have weakened allies. He wouldn't just let them be when they will be killed out there anyway due to their weakened state. He would rather 'sacrifice' them instead of other more able Shinobi. Taking them out would lower their chances of winning." Sakura explained as they landed on the closest rooftop and began sprinting to the Ninja Equipment Shop.

The two thought on that, seeing her point. "Still, you didn't answer my question." Gaara stated, shaking his head slightly. Sakura didn't reply right away, instead settled for jumping across two more rooftops before answering.

"Why would I burn them now when a **Kage Bushin** already did?" Sakura asked, looking back over her shoulder. That was the end of the conversation. They focused on remembering where the shop was at. After being unsuccessful in finding it from above, they decided to from below. They landed on the streets and started walking around, ignoring the strange looks they got. They found the shop not five minutes later and went in, making a bee-line towards the counter.

When the man glanced at them, he jumped and stood up. "What the- Hey, are you three okay?" He asked, looking over the dried blood on their faces and bodies. Sakura waved his question off then asked for their weapons. "Right, I have them right here." He reached for something under the counter and pulled out three cloth-covered katana. "There was a slight shipping problem and the sheaths won't be here until next week. However, everything else you asked for is right here." He handed them the weapons as each of them took out their share of the payment.

After paying, Naruto sealed their weapons into a pouch. The three left after purchasing more kunai and shuriken. Now, they were walking aimlessly through the streets, not minding the blood on them. Sakura glanced to her right and grounded her teeth.

She was trying to avoid them as much as possible. Fate seemed to have other plans because, every time she turned a corner, a member of her family was there. The whole clan probably knew that she was alive by now. Amaya could never really keep her mouth shut about certain things. So, the only way for the 'bumps' to stop, was to take care of them.

Sakura turned, leaving her teammates puzzled. They followed after her after sharing a confused look. Sakura walked over to her family, getting at a certain distance where she could hear what they were saying. Amaya was talking to a girl with dark brown hair and blue eyes. Sakura recognized that girl right away. _'Haruno Kasumi. It looks like our cousin hasn't changed a bit,'_ Sakura thought as she watched them laugh.

"Well, congratulations, Amaya. Who are you fighting in the next part?" Kasumi asked, stifling a giggle at the thought of Ino losing to Amaya. The red head frowned and looked down, answering rather lowly, "No one of importance." Her answer gave Sakura a chance to get into the conversation. Because the adults were wrapped up in their own conversation with Sho, they didn't notice the Amegakure team heading their way.

"Aww, you think your own sister is unimportant? Amaya, that hurts." Sakura feigned hurt, running her finger from her eye down her cheek, smearing some of the blood there. Amaya and Kasumi turned to them, their eyes widening as soon as they saw them. Sakura smirked, liking their reactions. She then proceeded to shake her head as if disappointed, "Shame on you."

"What are you doing here, Sakura?" Amaya asked, her eyes turning hard. Sakura brushed the glare off, instead settling for leaning against the nearby tree. By this time, all of the adults had turned their heads in the direction of the commotion. Keiko's breath caught in her throat when she saw her daughter. Haiiro clenched his fists, clearly upset. Sho's eyes had widened. Arisu and Daichi were staring at the scene, slightly confused.

"Naruto, why don't you take this one?" Sakura asked, looking over at the blonde. Naruto then took on a thoughtful expression, scratching his cheek with his index finger. "Hmm, let's see. Oh, yeah! We're Genin and the Chunin Exams are taking place on Konoha this year. Clearly, you know what we're doing here, considering Sakura-chan's your opponent on the last stage. Gaara, anything you wanna add?" Naruto asked, looking over at his younger brother. Gaara shrugged and looked away, not wanting any business in whatever the two were doing.

Haiiro walked over to them, grabbing Sakura's shoulder. He was about to drag her away but a hand grabbed his wrist. Naruto glared at him, tightening his grip on him. He ripped his hand off Sakura's shoulder and pushed him back slightly. "You touch her again and I'll rip you to shreds." Naruto threatened, growling at the end. Haiiro looked at him then at his second daughter.

Sakura placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder then walked around her father, standing face-to-face with Amaya. "I just came to clear a few things up." She said, glaring into her sister's eyes. Amaya glared back, not about to be intimidated. The Ame Kunoichi smirked, showing her rather long canines. "I'm not interested in being Head of the Haruno clan. I've no bonds with you guys so don't come asking for trouble. You saw what I did to Hinata, I can do worse to you and neither of these two plan on stopping me." Sakura took a step back then turned around, starting to walk away. Naruto and Gaara waited for her to walk up to them to turn around.

Keiko took a step forward, hesitating what she was about to do. "Sakura, wait." She called out, making the girl stop. Sakura looked over her shoulder at her. Keiko stared at her, her eyes watering. She closed her eyes, trying to remember that girl that pleaded her to support her little sister. That girl that had always smiled at the mention of her older sister leading the clan. That little girl that had never misbehaved with anyone. That girl that would flinch at the mention of death.

"Keiko," Sakura called out, bringing a gasp out of the older woman at the mention of her name. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Amaya last week. I'm not the Sakura you knew. She died the night she left the village. However, a part of her still lives. I guess you're just unfortunate enough to never see that little girl smiling at you." Sakura said, turning to her. Keiko looked down. The pink haired ninja sighed before staring intensely at her mother. "Keiko, look at me." When Keiko didn't even glance at her, Sakura gritted her teeth. "I said, look at me." Her tone had taken a darker, more demanding tone. Keiko flinched and looked at her daughter, tears running down her eyes. She gasped when she saw her eyes, finally noticing the blue ring around the pupil.

"You see this?" Sakura asked, pointing to her eye. "I'm not _The_ Haruno Sakura anymore. I'm not the second daughter of the Haruno clan's Head and this is proof of it. I'm just Haruno Sakura, proud Kunoichi of Amegakure and part of Akuma no Buntai, Amegakure's Akatsuki's devil squad. I'm sorry if I put you through any pain but I don't regret leaving. I have a younger brother, an older brother, a very annoying but caring boyfriend and a handful of people that care about me. Whether you like it or not, I don't give a crap but I'm not coming back. The only reason why I'm here is because of the Chunin Exams and I'm pretty sure none of us will take it again."

Keiko shook her head, not believing what she was hearing. "No, you're wrong. The Sakura I know is still in there." Keiko replied, her tears never stopping. Sakura snickered, looking away. "I just told you, she's still in here. She just doesn't love you guys anymore, at least, not after she found out the truth behind the Haruno clan. After all you guys have put me through, do you really think I'm going to come running into your arms and kiss you?" Sakura chuckled, placing a hand on her hips.

"She's totally lost it," Gaara whispered in Naruto's ear, watching the scene. "Are you kidding me? That's so hot!" Naruto replied, his eyes trailing down to Sakura's lower back. Gaara rolled his eyes but he couldn't help but follow Naruto's eyes, silently agreeing with him.

Sakura looked back at her family, the ring in her eyes getting thicker and fangs appearing under her lips. "You can all go to Hell for all I care." She growled at them. She looked at Hitomi, who had cowered behind the tree. Sighing, she withdrew her fangs. "Don't get me wrong. I still care about Hitomi. Even if she doesn't know it, there's a bond we share. If she wasn't here, I'd honestly kill you." Sakura said, looking at her father at the end.

Haiiro laughed, "What makes you think you can kill me?" He asked, shaking his head in disbelief. "Ask Amaya who saved her ass in Nami no Kuni. Ask her who saved her team during the Second Phase of the Chunin Exams. Though, to answer your question…I've killed Anbu before, I think I can take on a simple Tokubetsu Jonin." Sakura answered, waving him off. She looked at her teammates, who instantly looked up at her face. She narrowed her eyes at them before nodding.

Gaara disappeared in a swirl of sand while Naruto walked over to her. He wrapped his right arm around her waist and smirked at her family. He leaned over and licked the side of her face. Sakura smirked as the two disappeared in a whirlwind.

Haiiro cursed, punching the tree. Keiko started wiping her tears away while the grandparents stood there, having no idea what just happened. Hitomi came out from behind the tree and stared at the spot where Sakura had been, hundreds of thoughts going through her head. Amaya gritted her teeth, turning to walk away. Kasumi just blinked; glad she had avoided the girl's wrath.

_Akuma no Buntai…._

"So, why did you want to talk to them if they annoyed you again?" Gaara asked from his bed. They were back in the Inn, where they had **Shunshin** to. He was leaning his back against the headboard of his bed. Naruto was on his bed, lying down with one arm behind his head. Sakura was lying down by him, her head on his chest. The boys had taken baths to clean off the blood and changed clothes. Naruto had a black t-shirt with orange shorts and Gaara had a light hazel t-shirt with the standard black Shinobi pants. They had taken their Hitaiate off, leaving Naruto's hair to fall into his eyes every once in a while.

"I thought they would stop showing up everywhere we went but I guess it just riled them up even more." Sakura answered, running her fingers over her stomach.

"That was pretty stupid. They probably want your head now." Gaara stated, looking over at them. Sakura shrugged, grinning over to him. "It was worth a shot, right? Besides, it might be good practice if I get to fight the Haruno's clan Head." She said, making him roll his eyes. "You may be smart but you can make idiotic choices at times." Gaara said, avoiding the pillow thrown at him. Naruto only laughed at them, groaning when Sakura shut him up with a kiss.

"What are we going to do tomorrow?" Gaara asked, wanting their kiss to end. Not that it bothered him. No, it just annoyed him to no end when they would do it in front of him. It was cute at first but now it was getting on his nerves.

"Hokage-sama said we could mess around with Orochimaru's archives and research tomorrow. But we should get up early to try out the Chakra no Shizen Buredo. After eating breakfast, we can show up in his office." Sakura said, sitting up and taking off her belt. Gaara shrugged and looked out the window. Naruto watched Sakura get her clothes and walk into the restroom.

When he was sure she had locked the door, Naruto turned to Gaara with a smirk, "Don't worry, kid, we'll get you a girlfriend soon."

Gaara scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Who said I wanted a girlfriend?" He glanced at the blonde from the corner of his eyes before looking back outside. "Because you're going to turn into a teenager in a few months, duh." Naruto replied, shrugging. Gaara turned to him with a blank expression on his face. Naruto clicked his tongue against his top teeth, rolling his eyes skywards. He sat up, crossing his legs.

"When I was your age-"

"You mean last year?"

"Yes, last year. Anyway, I wanted a girlfriend by that time. Surely, you'd want one, too."

Gaara raised his non-existent eyebrow then shook his head. "What makes you think I'm like you in that category?" Gaara asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Naruto grinned, pointing at him. "You're a Jinchuuriki and so am I. I've no doubt Shukaku's a pervert, just like Kyuubi. And the fur ball's the biggest pervert I've ever met. I bet Shukaku whispers a few things in your ear about getting a mate." Naruto concluded, his grin getting bigger when he saw Gaara's blush. "Aha! I knew it!"

"Shut up, Naruto, I don't want to talk about it." Gaara muttered, turning away. Naruto chuckled, getting up and sitting down on Gaara's bed. He grabbed him by the neck and started rubbing his head playfully. Gaara groaned, closing his eyes at the slight pain. _'Why am I always the one being held like this?'_ Gaara thought, though his grin showed that it wasn't a complaint.

The red head opened one eye then grabbed Naruto by the waist, pushing him. Naruto laughed and pushed back. Gaara gritted his teeth as he pushed Naruto. Naruto lost his balance and the two fell on the floor, laughing. Gaara sat on Naruto's stomach while holding him down with his elbow. Naruto pushed on Gaara's chest as he gripped his leg, trying to pry him off. The blonde kicked at one of Gaara's leg, making him stumble. Naruto took the advantage and pushed him off, sitting on him afterwards. Gaara groaned, trying to push him off his stomach.

Naruto only laughed then got off, offering his hand. Gaara looked at it before grabbing it. However, once both were standing up, Gaara tackled Naruto to the ground, catching the older boy off guard. They fell to the floor hard, making a loud thud. Gaara grabbed Naruto in a headlock, keeping him there. Naruto grabbed Gaara's arm, struggling a little.

The door to the bathroom opened but that didn't stop the two from wrestling. Sakura came out of the bathroom and leaned against the door, watching them bond. She winced when Naruto elbowed Gaara's stomach. She folded her clothes and went back into the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. She had a black vest with a white t-shirt under and a grey skirt. She got rid of all the fishnets and took off her boots. She still had her weights on but they acted as bracelets for anyone without knowledge. She took off her Hitaiate and replaced it with a white headband.

Sakura came out of the bathroom and smirked when she saw Naruto on top of Gaara. Seeing her opportunity, she ran over to them and jumped on Naruto, making both boys groan.

"Fuck, Sakura-chan, you're heavy!"

"Damn it, you two, get off!"

They whined and that only made Sakura put more weight on them. They groaned in pain. Sakura laughed and got off them. Naruto immediately tackled her to the ground, followed by Gaara. She groaned, cursing at them. Even though they were concentrated on wrestling each other, they knew they were being watched by Haiiro and Amaya from the roof across the Inn.

"Get off." Sakura groaned out, trying to push them off. Gaara got off then pushed Naruto off her. Sakura quickly got up and tackled him. They hit the floor with a loud thud. Naruto rubbed the back of his head, where he had hit the wall with when Gaara had pushed him off his girlfriend. He watched as Gaara and Sakura wrestled. The blonde's eyes lit up when he remembered one of Sakura's weaknesses. He stood up and ripped Gaara off her. He knelt down in front of her and leaned over her, all the while grinning like a madman.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him, having had her wrists held down above her head by Gaara's sand while she had been fighting with him. "Keep her wrists and legs pinned, Gaara. I'm going in." Naruto told Gaara over his shoulder before he turned back to her. Sand wrapped around Sakura's legs before she could react. She glared at Gaara then turned her gaze to her boyfriend. His eyes landed on her stomach, making her eyes widen in realization.

"Naruto, don't you dare-"

Naruto ignored her warning and brought his hands down, brushing his fingers over her sides. Sakura arched her back, glaring at him. "I swear to Kami, Naruto, if you don't stop now, I'm going to-" Naruto interrupted her by running his fingers over her stomach. Sakura shivered and growled at him. In the background, Gaara chuckled in amusement.

Finally, Naruto started tickling her. Sakura started laughing, shaking her head from side to side. Gaara snickered while Naruto only grinned. Sakura tried to kick but Gaara's sand held her feet down. "Na-ru-to, st-op it!" Sakura gasped, only to start laughing harder when Gaara joined in on Naruto's game. Naruto grinned at Gaara before moving his hands down and gripping her hips.

Sakura gasped when she realized what he was going to do. "Naruto…" She threatened, managing a weak glare at him. Naruto licked his lips before running his fingers down to the juncture of her pelvis and her thighs. He dug his fingers in and Sakura stared laughing again. Tears started falling down her eyes but the two boys only tickled her even more.

"Gu-ys, th-at's en-ou-gh! Hah, my st-om-ach hu-rts! Th-at's en-ou-gh!" Sakura cried out, trying to move away from their fingers. Gaara stood up, stopping his actions. Naruto moved up, replacing Gaara's sand on her wrists with his hands. He looked up, looking out the window. He stared at Haiiro and Amaya for a bit while Sakura caught her breath. The blonde looked down at her when she shifted under him. "I'm going to kill you." Sakura declared, grounding her teeth.

Naruto shook his head, smiling down at her. "No, you won't." He replied with the most confident tone he could manage without laughing. Sakura raised her brow at him, "What makes you so sure?" Her answer was only a wink and a pair of lips brushing against her own.

Gaara looked away from the scene, instead settling for looking through one of Sakura's medical books. He glanced at them when he heard a groan. Sakura had pulled on Naruto's hair and now was sucking on his jugular. He watched them with slight interest. Naruto had his hands on her hips, his thumbs rubbing over the little skin the shirt showed.

Gaara suddenly grabbed his ear, something that didn't go unnoticed by the two teens on the floor but, with the position they were in at the moment, they didn't want to pay attention. Gaara nodded to no one before letting go of his ear and turning to his teammates. "Hey, you two, Konan-nee-chan left the village just right now. There was an emergency in Amegakure and Pein-sama needed her there as soon as possible. She said that she'll contact us next week and not to make any ruckus. She already told Hokage-sama and he said it was fine for us to stay here. Also, if we need anything, she said that you knew how to contact her, Sakura." Gaara explained to them, crossing his arms when only Sakura turned to him.

"All right, I understand. I have a scroll in one of my pouches. She gave it to me on the way to Konoha. I just apply blood to it and a messenger will appear. She didn't tell you what the emergency was, right?" Sakura asked, only paying half a mind to the conversation. Gaara watched as Naruto licked the side of her neck before shaking his head and shrugging at Sakura's question. Sakura sighed then roughly pushed Naruto off her, sitting up. Naruto rubbed the back of his head while glaring at her.

"What are we going to do now?" Naruto asked, standing up and walking to Gaara's bed. Sakura just sat on the floor, thinking. She shrugged after a few minutes. "Itachi-sensei said that we weren't so experienced with actually controlling our elements without our Buredo or basic Ninjutsu, meaning we shouldn't play around with that without Akatsuki supervision so that's out of the question. " Naruto explained, sitting down by Gaara.

"We could walk around. I've only been in Konoha once and it was only for one day. It's better than staying here the rest of the day." Gaara offered with a shrug. Sakura narrowed her eyes before standing up and grabbing her belt. She threw them theirs and started heading for the door. "I guess that's a yes..?" Naruto asked, looking at Gaara. The red head shrugged before following his teammate out the door.

They left the Inn and Sakura led them straight to the training grounds. They went to the training ground next to the one where they had killed the Otogakure team. During the whole trip, Amaya and Haiiro had followed them. The three were getting annoyed but it was their choice to watch them so they didn't interfere with their plans. Besides, if they confronted them, things will only get worse.

Sakura turned to her teammates once they were in the middle of the training grounds. She made the first handsign for a Katon jutsu, smirking at their reactions. Naruto had grinned while Gaara looked wary. "Itachi-sensei said not to mess with our Elemental Chakra without supervision." Gaara said with a cross of his arms. Sakura waved him off, "Itachi-sensei said not to mess any _further_ with our Elemental Chakra. We have complete control of our Chakra no Shizen Buredo and some of the basic Ninjutsu. We surely can mess around with that." Sakura said, watching as Gaara's eyes lit up slightly.

"All right then, it's decided. We're training." Naruto said, unsealing their Buredo. He looked over them, not able to cover the grin that spread across his face.

The blades were a few inches wider than the normal katana. At the end of the hilt was a string of their perspective colours. Sakura's was red, his was orange and Gaara's was maroon. His Buredo had the design of an orange claw on the hilt. The outline of the Kyuubi was on the blade in orange, the nine tails spreading through the blade, all the way to the tip. The hilt itself was black, as were the other two. Sakura's had a red dragon running along the blade with the tail design drawn on the hilt. Gaara's had a brown tanuki on the side of the blade and the outline of a gourd on the hilt.

Naruto handed them their perspective blades. They tested the movements for a while before they decided to test their strength. Naruto was the first one up. He faced a tree and got into a crouch, holding his blade to the side. "_**Shizen Buredo: Futon**_," He yelled out, slashing his blade sideways. A strong gust of wind emitted from the blade and went through the tree. At first, it seemed like nothing happened but then the tree slight in half. Naruto jumped out of the way to avoid getting smashed by the tree.

Naruto landed and looked down at his blade, checking it over. He was amazed at the fact that there weren't any scratches on the blade. He looked at the tree before grinning. "That was so fucking awesome! I wanna do it again!" Naruto called out, getting ready for another round. Sand pulled him back to the side-lines, where Gaara and Sakura had been standing at. "Ladies first," Sakura said, winking at Gaara in a thanking manner. Naruto crossed his arms and watched, shrugging off the sand around his shoulders.

Sakura crouched down in front of another tree, her blade held backwards. "_**Shizen Buredo: Katon**_," She swung her katana upwards. An arch of flames raced towards the tree, coating it in fire as soon as the flames touched it. Sakura's eyes widened when the flames reached the top of the tree, bringing it down. Naruto cursed and started forming handsigns as quickly as possible. "_**Suiton: Mizurappa**_," He took out a scroll just in time for the jet of water to come out and cover the burning tree.

"Holy crap," Naruto muttered, looking at Sakura. She looked down at her blade before shaking her head. "Gaara, it's your turn." Sakura said, nodding towards the trees. Gaara nodded and walked to a tree, spreading his legs apart. He crouched down, holding his blade in between his legs. He brought his blade up over his head as he kept his eyes on the tree. "_**Shizen Buredo: Doton**_," He brought his Buredo down onto the ground. A crack was heard before the ground under him gave out and began to crack. The crack made a line towards the tree. The tree suddenly split it half vertically when the crack reached it.

"Okay. This is officially the best weapon I've ever had the honour of holding." Naruto said looking at his blade. Gaara nodded, agreeing with him. Sakura frowned while she looked at hers, knowing something was wrong. Their former blades weren't even half this strong and it really didn't matter whether it was a new metal or not. She had put the smallest amount of chakra she could master into the attack. And it burned down a whole fucking tree! There was something going on with this and she was going to find out what.

Unknown to her, Naruto and Gaara had similar thoughts but didn't dare voice them. There were some things best left unsaid and this was sure one of them.

_Haruno Residence….._

"Daichi-san, is something wrong? You've been quiet this whole afternoon." Keiko pointed out, sitting down at the dining table with the older man. Daichi blinked, raising his head to look at her. "Oh, nothing. I've just been thinking about how much Sakura and Amaya have grown." Daichi said with a smile. Keiko frowned and leaned back in her chair. Daichi followed her example but crossed his arms. "I was also wondering why Sakura was so rude to us. She didn't even greet us. She also seemed to hate Amaya and Haiiro. You don't happen to know why, do you?"

Keiko tensed, hesitating in choosing her next few words. "Keiko, I have a right to know what's going on with my granddaughter." Daichi said with a hint of anger in his tone. Keiko sighed then looked over to the living room, where Arisu and Hitomi were playing. She looked back at her father in-law before nodding. "Sakura was kidnapped when she was six, along with the village's Jinchuuriki, by Uchiha Itachi the night he massacred his clan. A year later she came back but only for a day, having been running some errands. I was the only one who knew she had come. She was announced dead a year after that but I knew- no, I felt- that she was still alive. When Amaya told us Sakura had come back and was participating in the Chunin Exams, I couldn't help but feel proud. Then when we ran into each other in the streets earlier, I thought she was coming back home but Amaya and Haiiro only seemed to anger her further. I've never seen Sakura that way and it scared me." Keiko explained, tears threatening to spill.

Daichi listened intently, nodding every once in a while. He rubbed his chin when Keiko finished her story. He glanced at her then stood up. "I need to talk to her. I think I know something about her that no one else does. I'll be right back." With that said, Daichi left the house without another word.

_Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki…..An Hour Later_

Gaara ducked and jumped back, avoiding being kicked in the stomach. Naruto grunted as he pushed forward, trying to land a hit on the red head. Gaara moved his head to the side, dodging the punch by a few centimetres. Naruto did a leg swipe, finally catching Gaara off guard again. Gaara fell on his back but rolled to the right just in time to avoid being hit by a heel. Naruto did a handstand and kicked Gaara in the chest as he stood up. Gaara hit his back against a tree, closing his eyes at the pain. He heard a slight rustle in the shrubs before ducking under the punch.

He grabbed Sakura's wrist and threw her at Naruto. Sakura landed softly in Naruto's intertwined hands. Naruto then threw her at Gaara. The red head jumped away as soon as her fist was close to his face. Sakura punched the tree, wincing when she heard her knuckles crack under the pressure.

Naruto jumped on Gaara, who tried to jump away but a kunai to his throat stopped him. Sakura chuckled, holding her kunai with her left hand. "Face it, Gaara. We're better at Taijutsu than you." She mocked, making him sigh. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Gaara panted out, trying to catch his breath. Naruto snickered as Sakura put away the kunai and started healing her injured knuckles.

In the trees, Haiiro was frowning while Amaya was getting anxious. Sakura was better than they thought. So far, the three have only practiced Taijutsu and Kenjutsu but their level in mastery far outmatched even Haiiro in those departments. Whoever taught them had to be an excellent teacher. However, if what Amaya told him about Uchiha Itachi being their teacher, then he had no doubt that they were probably stronger than they're letting on.

"So, what do we train on now?" Naruto asked, letting Gaara catch his breath and Sakura heal her hand. "Genjutsu is out of the question, seeing as that's your one and only weakness. Winning would be too easy." Sakura said, though there was a hint of a mock in there. Naruto glared at her playfully, which only made Gaara chuckle.

"I wouldn't get too cocky. Gaara and I are better at Ninjutsu and you know that damn well." Naruto challenged, smirking when her eye twitched. "Okay, so we all have weak spots. Can we move on, please?" Sakura said, pushing the subject away. Naruto only snickered and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pecking her dirty cheek.

"How about we talk?" A voice sounded out, catching their attention. They turned around, kunai at hand. Daichi held his hands up, smiling nervously. "Whoa, whoa, I'm not a ninja. I'm just a citizen." Daichi announced, watching as Sakura dropped her stance. Gaara and Naruto looked at her then at each other before straightening up. However, they kept a close eye on the old man.

"What is it, Jiji-san?" Sakura asked placing a hand on her hip. Daichi walked over to her, kneeling down to her height. "You've really grown up, Sakura-chan." He told her with a smile. Sakura looked away, sighing lightly. "Please, don't call me that. I'm no longer attached to you guys." She said, avoiding his eye.

"Maybe not emotionally but you're a part of my blood. We're always going to have an invisible bond, whether you like it or not." Daichi explained, his smile faltering. Sakura took a step back, providing more space between them. The older man sighed and stood up, narrowing his eyes at her teammates. "These are the brats you call teammates, huh? Well, I just have one thing to say to them."

Daichi leaned down to Naruto's eye level, glaring into his blue eyes. "Deflower my little girl and I'll crush you." Daichi threatened, shocking all three of them, even Haiiro and Amaya. Naruto blinked then took a step back, a blush forming on his face. Gaara bit his tongue, trying to keep himself from laughing. Sakura looked away, blushing. "Sir, we're not, uh, planning on _mating_, yet. I'd like to get married first." Naruto said, his blush increasing tenfold when a small snicker passed through Gaara's lips.

"Mating?"

That was the last straw for Gaara. He started laughing, enjoying Naruto and Sakura's embarrassment. Naruto glared at him, though the blush wasn't helping him. Sakura sent the kunai in her hands to the redhead's forehead but Gaara only ducked under it and fell back on the ground, still laughing.

"Jiji-san, Naruto and I just started dating. We're not going that far any time soon." Sakura said, trying to ignore the laughing Jinchuuriki. Daichi hummed then shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Okay. Well, I didn't come here to have a talk to you about sex but rather to tell you something."

"What is it?" Sakura asked, sitting down on the ground by Gaara. Naruto sat down by her. Gaara panted, trying to catch his breath before sitting up to listen in. Daichi sat down in front of them, his eyes never leaving Sakura's.

"You know what those eyes are, right?" Daichi asked, pointing at said part of the body. Sakura shook her head slowly, watching as her grandfather sighed.

"All right, let me start from the beginning."

_(A/N: Sorry for the late update. I'm going to explain a few things about my timing with updates. It is hurricane season, meaning there are hurricanes coming in and out of the Caribbean Sea all of the time. I'm sure you've all heard of this year's Irene. Well, it hit my country and we were left without electricity for almost three days. So, whenever you hear that a hurricane or a strong tropical hits Puerto Rico, don't expect me to update quickly. On top of that, updates will be irregular. I will still update on weekends but I just started school and school is priority._

_Okay, we're going to find out just exactly what Sakura's eyes mean. Also, about the fights. I myself am not satisfied with any of them. I am sorry if they're not up to your standards but I haven't watched Naruto or any kind of Anime in months. Yes, I read the Manga but I skip some fights because I honestly think there's more action in the Anime fights than the ones in the Manga._

_So, who didn't expect Kota working for Orochimaru? I hadn't thought about it. The idea just wrote itself out. Then again, it might be a good thing this time. *Shrugs* Who knows? Anyway, if you're confused about the Third Stage fights, here's the order in which they will be taking place:_

_First Part:_

_A: Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyuga Neji  
>B: Nara Shikamaru vs. Aburame Shino<br>C: Sabaku no Kankuro vs. Rock Lee  
>D: Haruno Sakura vs. Haruno Amaya<br>E: Sabaku no Temari vs. Uchiha Sasuke  
>*Sabaku no Gaara sits out<em>

_Second Part:_

_Winner of Fight A vs. Winner of Fight C  
>Winner of Fight B vs. Winner of Fight D<br>Winner of Fight E vs. Sabaku no Gaara_

_I don't really have anything else to say so here's the Glossary:_

_**Bunshin no jutsu- Clone Technique is a Ninjutsu technique which every ninja learns at the Ninja Academy. The Bunshin technique creates a copy of the ninja without substance. The copy resembles the ninja in every way. This clone can function as a distraction or as means to confuse one's opponent. As soon the Bunshin gets attacked or comes into contact with an opponent, it will disperse.**_

_**Byakugan- White Eye is the blood inheritance limit of the Hyuga Clan. The Hyuga clan was one of the founding noble families of Leaf village. The clan itself is said to be the ancestors of the Uchiha clan who possess the bloodline of the Sharingan eye. When the "Byakugan" is activated, the clan member gains an extra-sensory perception, which gives them penetrating sight and telescopic vision. This allows them to see the tenketsu; the internal chakra coils system 361 pressure points. This vision also grants the member a near 360° view of their surroundings, the higher the skill of the clan member, the further the distance from which they can sense incoming attacks. Unfortunately the vision does have a weakness, a small blind spot that extends outwards from the vertebra of the upper back. The clan uses this ability in conjunction with their own chakra creating the Juuken (gentle fist) fighting style. The clan member can use their fingers or palms to emit chakra to flow into their opponents body's at the tenketsu points. When the hand draws close enough to strike, the clan member can stop or increase their opponent's chakra flow. The internal chakra coils which spread throughout the body also wrap around the internal chakra producing organs. So if the internal coils are attacked, it also damages these internal organs. Because a ninja cannot train their internal body, such damage can be a critical hit for even a highly skilled ninja. The tenketsu serve as the connectors and exit points for the chakra pathways. So when they are stopped by the Hyuga clan member, the ninja greatly loses his or her ability to utilize their chakra for jutsu.**_

_**Chakra Kyuuin Jutsu- Chakra Absorption Jutsu is a special Ninjutsu technique used by the Leaf ninja Yoroi. After activating the technique, Yoroi's hand will glow with chakra. When he touches his palm on his opponents body, he can withdraw the physical and spiritual energy out of them. By reducing their chakra, it greatly increases his advantage over his opponent.**_

_**Fushi Tensei- Living Corpse Reincarnation was a specially developed Ninjutsu technique developed by Orochimaru. The technique prevents death by allowing the caster to leave his body and inhabit the body of another. This allows one to remain in the world forever as they are not restrained by the age limits placed on one's physical body. When Orochimaru takes over the body, the original individual is not totally wiped out, a small piece of them remains behind to become a part of Orochimaru's subconscious. Orochimaru wished to use this technique to take over the body of an Uchiha clan member; this would allow him greater ability to fulfil his goal of learning all the jutsu of the world. When Orochimaru switches bodies, he is forced to inhabit that body for a period of years before he will be able to use the technique again.**_

_**Gatsuga- Double Piercing Fang (Fang Over Fang -Viz Translation-) is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by the Inuzuka Clan. An esoteric use of the Jujintaijutsu, in which the Inuzuka in their bestial form, and the familiar in their Inuzuka form, shower their target with multiple, spinning attacks. The force of these attacks can reduce boulders to rubble. It is one of Inuzuka Kiba's signature techniques.**_

_**Jiji/ Jiji-san- Grandpa, Grandfather**_

_**Juujin Bunshin- Beast-Man Clone is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by the Inuzuka clan. First the clan member and the familiar may ingest a soldier pill to help their strength and stamina. Then, acting in conjunction with the clan member, the canine familiar will transform themself into a copy of the clan member. While in this form they can accomplish many of the same techniques as the original.**_

_**Juuken Ryuu- Gentle Fist Style is fighting style utilized by Hyuga clan members; it is the strongest style of Konoha. The Byakugan has a penetrating ability to see the tenketsu; the internal chakra coils system 361 pressure points. The clan member can use their fingers or palms to emit chakra to flow into their opponents body's at these precise points. When the hand draws close enough to strike, the clan member can stop or increase their opponents' chakra flow. The internal chakra coils which spread throughout the body also wrap around the internal chakra producing organs. So if the internal coils are attacked, it also damages these internal organs. Because a ninja cannot train their internal body, such damage can be a critical hit for even a highly skilled ninja.**_

_**Kasumi Juusha no Jutsu- Mist Servant Technique is a Genjutsu technique that creates false attackers to delay and confuse the enemy. Though these servants are not real, the actual ninja is able to remain hidden and throw kunai and shuriken matching the movements of the servants. This makes it appear the false servants are capable of attacking. When the enemy attempts to attack the servant, they will merely disrupt the servants' illusion body but not destroy it.**_

_**Katon: Housenka no jutsu- Mythical Fire Phoenix is a Ninjutsu technique utilizing the Fire Element. The ninja does the necessary hand seals and then emits a series of small fire balls. The ninja can also hurl a projectile which is covered in these same flames. To the opponent the attack appears to be only the balls of flame, they do not see the hidden threat within the flames. Meaning that even if the flames are put out, the projectiles still converge on the target. The flames can be used to cover different projectiles like shuriken or kunai.**_

_**Konoha Kage Boyou- Leaf Shadow Dance is a Taijutsu technique that is used to position a ninja's opponent into a vulnerable aerial position. The ninja will first quickly appear below their opponent, then with a switch upper kick they will launch their target into the air. The ninja will then jump into the air to "shadow" the target with the target's back to their chest.**_

_**Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei- Resurrection to the Impure World is a Ninjutsu technique which had been forbidden because of its dark nature. The technique involves the summoning of dead souls from the afterlife back into the real world. Normally Kuchiyose (summoning) involves the use of the caster's blood as compensation for summoning, Edo Tensei is different though. The ninja will first sacrifice a living person to provide the vessel that the dead soul will inhabit. The dead body will then be coated in ash and dirt to resemble the soul of the person that was resurrected. When the ninja wishes to recall the souls, a portal will open in the ground and the caskets holding the bodies will appear. When the caskets open the bodies will be grey and in a state of minor decay. At this point the dead souls are able to remember their past life, but they are at the command of the one who summoned them. One final act will fully wipe out their conscious and make them under the command of the one who summoned them. The ninja will place a fuda (charm/tag) of some form into the head of the body. This will then give vitality back to the body and make it a pure killing machine. When Kabuto began utilizing the jutsu, he used fuda which granted the soul some measure of their personality, which allowed them to retain their unique fighting style and some measure of freedom. When a portion of the dead body is damaged, the ash and dust will merely return and fix the damaged body part. The only way currently known to stop the resurrected person, is to utilize the Shiki Fuujin technique and remove the soul from the body.**_

_**Obaa-chan/ Baa-chan- Grandma, Grandmother**_

_**Shikyaku no Jutsu- Four-Legged Technique is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by the Inuzuka clan. After forming the needed hand seals, chakra begins to emit from the body of the clan member and they take on a more canine-like appearance. These body changes give them increased speed and agility.**_

_**Shintenshin no jutsu- Mind Body Change is a Ninjutsu technique originally used for spying. The ninja forms the needed handseals and then projects their spirit out of their body into their target. This can be another ninja or an animal. Unfortunately the spirit flies in a straight line at a slow speed. If the target moves and avoids the incoming spirit, the ninja's body falls lifeless until the spirit can find its way back to the body several minutes later. Because of the risk involved, the ninja must be very careful. When used in conjunction with a binding technique the chance of success greatly increases. While inhabiting the body of their opponent, the target still remains in their mind but their mental processes are forced aside as the ninja takes control. However if the target has strong mental fortitude, they can overpower the intruder and force them out of their body. Also while in the body of their target, if the ninja takes sudden physical damage, their original body will be hurt as well.**_

_**Shizen Buredo: Doton- Nature Blade: Earth Style**_

_**Shizen Buredo: Futon- Nature Blade: Wind Style**_

_**Shizen Buredo: Katon- Nature Blade: Fire Style**_

_**Suiton: Mizurappa- Water Style: Violent Water Wave is a Ninjutsu technique utilizing the Water Element. After forming the needed handseals, Yahiko will expel a strong jet of water at his opponent.**_

_**Suna Bunshin no Jutsu- Sand Clone Technique is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by the Sand ninja Gaara. The clone functions like a normal Bunshin, except it is made out of sand. The clone itself can be formed out of the Suna no Tate that protects Gaara. When a ninja goes to attack the Bunshin, the malleability of the sand allows the blow to sink into the sand, which can then wrap itself around the limb to constrain the attacker.**_

_**Ten Juinjutsu- 'Heaven' Cursed Seal**_

_**Utsusemi no Jutsu- Empty Cicada Shell is a Ninjutsu technique used by Jigumo. Forming the needed handseals, Jigumo will project his voice to different area to hide his location and the number of allies at his side.**_

_**Yugakure no Sato- Village Hidden in the Hot Springs**_

_A few people kind of complained about the bold words. Note that they will not be repeated. The jutsu, yes, but other things like villages and honorifics won't be bold except in that one chapter I present them in for the first time. Also, if you want drawings of this story, check out my profile. I have the links there. Anyway, thanks for reading,_

_7__th__ Creature _


	6. Explanations

_Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki…._

Daichi looked at each of them in the eye before staring at his granddaughter. Sakura watched him, wary of his actions. Naruto leaned back on his palms, narrowing his eyes at the old man. Gaara looked bored; having laughed the entire day was tiresome, especially when you don't do it so often. The three snapped to attention when Daichi started speaking.

"Hundreds of years ago, before men existed, the world used to be ruled over by the animal kingdom. However, it wasn't like in every fairy-tale story with dolphins or unicorns and rainbows. What were considered wild beasts back then are known as demons nowadays. There were many kinds of demons, even some species we don't know exist. However, like in our world now, there were stronger demons. They were called Bijuu. There were nine of them. Their status came to be by the number of tails they possessed. For example, the _**Gobi**_ had five tails and the _**Hachibi**_ had eight. They were leaders of their Animal clans."

"Some clans had conflicts with each other but peace was usually maintained. That was, until the _**Hebi**_ clan decided they wanted more power. They fought the strongest of clans, the Ryu. The Ryu fought back, trying to defend their territory. A war raged out, clans chose sides and treaties were made. The Ryu's side eventually won but not without having problems. Many clans became extinct and many dropped in number. The Ryu became second strongest to the Kitsune clan. Traitors and enemies fled, though some signed treaties with the allies. The world stayed in peace for a few more hundred years. The _**Hebi**_ clan came back, stronger than ever, though that did nothing to stop Kitsune and Ryu from working together to stop them. This time, the Tanuki clan joined their forces, them having been neutral during the previous war. They won, easily outnumbering the enemy."

"Sooner or later, however, man appeared and we started taking over the world. Because we knew how to use tools and think properly, we were able to defeat them rather quickly. Ninja and Samurai came about, winning us the territory completely. Animal clans begged for mercy and they became our Kuchiyose. The Ryu, Tanuki and Kitsune clans detested the humans for destroying everything they had fought so hard to protect. They refused to be ninja's slaves. The Haruno clan was able to make the Ryu surrender and become its summon. However, no one in the Haruno clan has been able to actually control the Ryu up to this point." Daichi explained, the kids getting engrossed in learning a new aspect of history.

Gaara shook his head slightly, pointing at Sakura. "That still doesn't explain why her eyes turned like that when she turned ten." He said, his eyes narrowing. Daichi nodded, having forgotten why he was explaining that momentarily. "The Haruno clan had made the Ryu surrender by taking hostage the leader's partner. The leader immediately surrendered, fearing for his wife's security, especially since they were expecting a child. The Haruno clan allowed the leader's wife to lay the egg; however, they sacrificed her to prove that they weren't a force to be reckoned with once the clan had a hold of the Ryu contract. In her last moments, the leader's wife said she'll be reincarnated as one of the members of the clan that had disposed of her and will despise the clan for killing her. It is because of this that the leader, Midoriyama, if memory serves right, will not let just any Haruno sign the Kuchiyose contract."

Daichi placed a hand on Sakura's knee and looked into her eyes. "You're the reincarnation of the leader's wife." He told her, looking for any signs of shock. All he got was a glance of understanding before her eyes went cold. He let go of her and stood up, fearing he had angered her. And angered her he had. However, not only had he awoken a new rage inside of her but he had also given her another reason for hating her blood family.

Sakura stood up, glaring at him. "I can't believe this, I can't fucking believe this! You guys killed off an innocent mother and you expect to run into your arms? Hell no!" Sakura yelled at him. She started pacing around, grabbing her head. "Damn….Crap…Shit!" She stopped, shutting her eyes tightly. Naruto and Gaara stood to the side, knowing this was something she had to face alone. Itachi had wanted them to face their status in the world as Jinchuuriki and they did. It was her turn to face the truth alone.

Sakura gulped, her hands shaking. "Did Haiiro know this?" She looked at her grandfather. Her eyes had softened but one could barely make out them being slightly teary.

"Not many know of this legend-"

"Does he know?" Sakura interrupted rudely, her tone taking on a demanding tone. Daichi frowned, shaking his head. "He knows the basic story but he doesn't know of her promise just before her death. He refuses to believe in 'such utter nonsense', as he puts it." Daichi said as Sakura started pacing again. She sighed, turning in the direction of the village. "I need a minute alone." Sakura said before taking off.

"Sakura-chan, wait!" Naruto yelled after her but she was gone. He clicked his tongue, looking to the side in disappointment. Gaara looked at him before glancing at the elder man. Naruto looked at him, "Are you sure it's her?" He asked and Daichi nodded. The blonde shook his head, not seeing any sincerity in the man's gaze. "You're lying. You just want to see her breaking down." Naruto growled out, ready to pummel the man into the ground.

"I believe him." Gaara announced, stopping Naruto's future rampage. They both turned to him. "Think about it. Her obsession with dragons, and the fact that she can control both wind and fire. Correct me if I'm wrong but dragons use both elements." At Daichi's nod, Gaara continued. "And there are only two ways to get demonic powers. One is to absorb said powers from ancient shrines or stones. The second is being a Jinchuuriki. It's pretty obvious that Sakura isn't a Jinchuuriki because Konohagakure only had one and, as far as I know, Sakura hasn't messed around with anything ancient to be exact."

Naruto looked at him before adding another important detail. "There's also that dragon birthmark she has on her shoulder. It doesn't look like a seal, more like a tattoo." He pointed out, the truth sinking in slowly. He suddenly grabbed his head, his eyes widening. "Holy crap, I'm in love with a demon." Naruto said and Gaara tensed. He sighed in relief when he heard the blonde's next words.

"That's so awesome! It is official; I love her even more now." Naruto said, falling on the ground on his back, a grin on his face. He suddenly sat up, remembering something from the folklore. "Wait, what happened to the Kitsune and Tanuki clans?" The blonde asked, raising a brow. Daichi shrugged but he gave an answer. "As far as I know, they were captured and used as Kuchiyose but I've never heard of one using a kitsune or tanuki in their summons before. Except maybe…" The old man trailed off, leaving Naruto and Gaara to straighten up.

"Try looking up the Kyuubi in Konoha's library and the Ichibi in Suna's archives. They're Bijuu, meaning they were their clan's leaders." Daichi suggested, though he had no idea why they were asking. Naruto groaned, lying back down. "It sounds like a lot of reading….Oh, I know!" Naruto jumped up, landing on his feet. He made a familiar handsign and applied chakra. Two puffs of smoke appeared on either side of him. The **Kage Bunshin** looked back at him, confusion written all over their faces.

"You," The real Naruto pointed at the one on his right. "You go check out the Kyuubi archives and books in the library and start reading. And you," He turned to the one on his left, "Search in the Kuchiyose History aisle. I want you two to read on everything and anything that has to do with the Kyuubi or the kitsune clan. Also, if you find anything on Ichibi or Shukaku, get that, too. Go!" The clones took off as soon as they were given the order. Naruto turned to Gaara and nodded. Gaara hummed then turned around. He jumped off, leaving the blonde and older man alone.

Naruto looked at him then scoffed. "I don't know what your plan is but you're not going to fool me." He said, making Daichi sigh. Daichi glared at him but, unlike earlier, Naruto didn't move an inch. "The only reason why I showed you respect earlier was because Sakura-chan was here. You're a Haruno and I despise Haruno."

"If you despise Haruno, why are you my granddaughter's teammate?" Daichi challenged, straightening up. "You said so yourself, she's different. She's not like the rest of you." Naruto replied. Daichi scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Is it because she's a second born? I was a second born, too." He announced and Naruto's eyes widened but only momentarily. "What do you mean you're a second born? Your son's the leader, so you must have led the clan at one point." The blonde said, slightly confused at the situation.

"My older brother couldn't have children so my first born son was officially next in line for the Head. I was treated the same way Sakura was. Don't think that just because she goes around showing it off means that she's any special. Yes, I believe that the Midoriyama wife's reincarnation is her but that doesn't make her any special."

Naruto couldn't believe this guy. First, he was nice to Sakura, and then he was overprotective of her. After that, he goes all prophetic on them and now he's treating her like trash? As if he knew what she felt? Rage started building up inside Naruto but he clenched his fists at his sides to calm himself down.

"You want to know what makes Sakura-chan better than any of you? Yes, she's a second born but she isn't going to just sit around and let people treat her like shit. She's doing something about it, whether it is getting revenge or just plain out ignoring you guys and making a life for herself, it doesn't matter. At least she's doing it. And don't go saying that she's showing it off because she's not. She tells people because they ask, not because she wants attention. You see Sakura-chan like this now but that's not the real Sakura-chan."

Naruto lowered his head, his bangs shadowing his eyes. "I fell in love with that girl I saw the night I met her, that vulnerable, miserable little girl. She was so desperate for love that she turned to a lonely Jinchuuriki. She was so desperate for acknowledgement that she turned to an assassin. She wanted a real family so bad that she thinks our teammate is like a brother to her. I fell in love with someone who only thinks of the good of her teammates before the mission and that's why we've failed plenty of them. The Sakura-chan you see and know right now is not Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan is the whole opposite. Of course, I wouldn't blame her for acting that way with you guys."

The blonde raised his head a bit, just enough for Daichi to see him glaring. "After all, you guys did make her childhood a living hell."

Daichi glared back at the boy. He started to speak but a question interrupted his upcoming words. "If you were treated the same way Sakura-chan was, why didn't you help her?" Naruto asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. Daichi narrowed his eyes and turned away. "I don't live in Konoha." His answer brought a sinister laugh from the blonde. "You've got to be shitting me. If I were Sakura-chan's grandfather and I had experienced the same thing she did, I would've done anything in my power and more to make her happy. Instead, you just chose to ignored her-"

"No-"

"Played innocent when you clearly aren't-"

"Stop it-"

"You lying, son of a-"

"That's enough!" Haiiro roared, coming out from behind the trees. Naruto turned to him slowly, a glare manifesting itself in his eyes. He glanced at Amaya, who was coming behind her father. She froze at the stare but was forced to look back at her father when he gripped his collar. "Don't touch me."

"You don't talk to my father like that, you got it, you damned brat?" Haiiro said but the blonde only kept glaring at him. "Let go of me," Naruto threatened, a low growl escaping his throat. Haiiro glared back, clenching his teeth. "You got it?" He asked again, this time raising his free hand into a fist. Naruto glared at the hand before looking back at him. "I said let go of me," Naruto repeated, his eyes taking on a tint of purple. Haiiro raised his chin, silently challenging him.

Naruto smirked, closing his eyes. "Go fuck yourself in a corner, Haiiro." Naruto said, disappearing in a puff of smoke. Haiiro punched air and stormed off, Amaya silently following him. Daichi looked at the place where the clone used to be standing at, and then following his son out of the training grounds.

_Ryu….._

Sakura looked out into the village, watching people mind their own business. Her eyes dragged over the clan section before they fell on the ground under her. She inhaled a deep breath of air before letting it out slowly. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, lying down on the ground. Digging her fingers into the ground beneath her, she let the emotions take a hold on her face. Her frown was replaced by a pained smirk. Her hands clenched the dirt and the back of her eyes began to sting with held back sorrow.

A hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her mindless thoughts. A gasp escaped her lips as she sat up, not having realized someone had come to her. Tears fell down her cheeks, not having been able to recompose herself when that person had touched her. Her eyes softened when she saw Gaara kneeling down behind her, his face showing his concern.

Gaara moved to sit by her, his hand still on her shoulder. Sakura grabbed that hand, holding it gently. No words were exchanged between them for a while. They just stared at each other, not a thing going through their heads. Sakura moved closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder, intertwining their fingers together. Gaara let go of her hand but wrapped that arm around her and clasped his other hand with hers. He held her close, knowing she needed the comfort.

"They knew, Gaara." Slightly confused at the statement, the redhead didn't say anything. He just tightened his grip around her. "They knew and they didn't tell me." Sakura repeated, letting go of his hand and escaping his grip. Gaara looked at her, confusion written all over his face. "Pein and Itachi-sensei knew something about me, they knew something about this," She pointed at her eyes. "But they didn't tell me, Gaara. They didn't."

Sakura sat back down, this time not looking at him. "You guys had it easier. You both found out at the mere age of six, when you were just starting with your life. You had time to come to terms with this. I find out when the lives of many people are in our hands. I find out I'm the reincarnation of some demon that was slaughtered by my family hundreds of years ago. I find out and it's like everything I knew shattered to pieces in just seconds."

Gaara stared at her then looked at his hands. "Maybe you're right; it was probably easier for us because we didn't know right from wrong at that time. But now that we're all grown, does it really make a difference? If it was easier or harder back then? Either way, we still find out. We still manage to control this." Gaara paused, glancing at her. She was looking at the ground but was listening to him. "You can overcome this, Sakura. You're strong, you're smart. Besides, you already have some control over this and you didn't even know what it was. Now you know and you can find out even more about it."

Gaara stood up and turned around, only saying a few words before leaving. "You aren't any weaker than Naruto and I. You can do this, too."

_Kitsune….._

"I thought you said we were meeting on the Kaoiwa." Sasuke stated, glancing over at the blond beside him. While he had been up the stairs leading to the Hokage Monument, he had found Naruto leaning against the railing, waiting for him. Now they were taking a walk around the main street market of Konoha.

"Gaara and Sakura-chan are up there. I didn't want to interfere with whatever they were doing." Naruto said, not even looking at him. Sasuke huffed and turned his head away. They kept walking, staring forward in silence. They walked to the east side of Konoha, reaching a small bridge over a small pond. Naruto leaned on the railing of the bridge, Sasuke leaning against it.

"What did you want to tell me?" Sasuke asked after a while, seeing as Naruto wasn't going to take the initiative in talking. "Your current position." Naruto replied, though he kept staring at the water. The lack of attention was irritating Sasuke but he figured Naruto was trying to help him so he was patient, or at least trying to be. Finally, Naruto sighed and turned to him, his eyes cold as stone.

"Don't go after Orochimaru." The simple statement sent shivers down Sasuke's spine. Just thinking about that man had him on edge and that was something he disliked greatly. Sasuke stood quiet, intent on listening to the words of his apparent comrade.

"Orochimaru wants you. He wants you to seek him, for you to look for him. He wants your Sharingan." Upon seeing Sasuke's slightly confused stare, Naruto began explaining in detail. "Orochimaru wants to know all of the jutsu in the world. That will take a lot of years, seeing as just mastering your elemental nature takes over three years. For that to happen, he needs immortality. He mastered a jutsu called Edo Tensei. The jutsu lets him switch bodies with another, in short terms. He gains that person's abilities and strengths but keeps his original ones, too. You should be familiar with the Sharingan's abilities so you know that the Sharingan can copy any jutsu it sees. Orochimaru would be having a day in the playground if he got a hold of the Sharingan."

"That's where you come in. Orochimaru picked you because you're so young and, to tell the truth, have some potential. He knew you didn't have the Sharingan yet so he gave you that Juinjutsu. With it, he can force you to go to him. He won't do this, of course. He'll find a way for you to leave the village on your own, he's not stupid." Naruto explained, leaning on the railing again. "Kidnapping you will only give him an even bigger bounty on his head, especially because you're an Uchiha and the last one under Konohagakure's watch. If you leave on your own, you will be the one being hunted, not him."

Sasuke looked at the ground after the explanation. He scoffed, looking to the side. "So if I leave, you're going to stop me?" Sasuke asked, daring a glance his way. Naruto shrugged, looking off into the distance. "The decision is yours. Neither my team nor I will stop you. Just have one thing in mind," Naruto paused, choosing his next words correctly. "If you do go with Orochimaru, I'll personally kill you." The threat was accompanied with a glare. Sasuke stared at him then scoffed again. "I'm not going with that snake any time soon. But, I do have one question."

"Shoot."

"Why me? I'm not the only Uchiha in the world." Sasuke said, looking back at the blonde. Naruto turned away from him, instead settling for watching the water going under them. "I'll be honest with you. Orochimaru already tried getting Itachi-sensei." Naruto said and Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. "What happened?" Sasuke asked, more out of fear then curiosity. If Orochimaru got rid of Itachi, what was he supposed to do now?

"You remember Kabuto? He's Orochimaru's right hand. Orochimaru was going after Itachi in Amegakure. We met him and Kabuto when he was entering through the Kawa no Kuni border. We started fighting but Orochimaru is a Sannin and we were only ten at the time. Kabuto wasn't helping, either. Orochimaru gave Sakura-chan a deep wound and she went out. Gaara was the next one, being the youngest one and the less experienced. I was able to stand my ground but it wasn't enough to defeat them both. I got to Kabuto and I would've killed him in my blind rage if it hadn't been for Itachi-sensei and two other friends holding me back. I remember Itachi-sensei using a powerful Genjutsu to defeat Orochimaru and the other two using long ranged attacks to get Kabuto. But they used a potion and a **Shunshin** to escape. I couldn't even smell a trace of them because of the potion."

"Because of our regeneration powers, neither Gaara nor I got serious injuries. Sakura-chan, however, got a scar and had lost all movement in that arm for the following month. She had to be given a blood transplant to keep her alive. I still remember her cry of pain and suffering in that fight." Naruto paused, clenching his fists and glaring at the water. "I'm going to kill Orochimaru for making her -no, us- suffer so much. Kabuto's going down with him, as well. And you, too, if you ever go with them."

Sasuke looked at the water, sighing. Naruto spoke up again, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm still not even near his level. I could beat Kabuto but that would take all of my strength and then some to do so. Sure, Itachi-sensei taught me a million of things. He taught me how to be a ninja but that's not enough to defeat Orochimaru. He's a Sannin, for Kyuubi's sake." Naruto couldn't help the chuckle escaping his lips when he heard Kyuubi growl inside his head. But that chuckle turned into a sinister laugh.

"I can't take my revenge on him yet, damn you." Naruto said, his chest contracting in pain. "I'm just not strong enough. But when I am, he better have a casket ready because I'll kick his ass into the next century." The blonde hung his head, bangs shadowing his eyes. Sasuke stared at him, his eyes lowering slightly. Trying to lighten the mood, Sasuke snickered lowly. Naruto glanced at him but didn't raise his head.

"You know, when I found out that you were Itachi's student, I thought you'd be evil like him. You don't look like that bad of a guy." Sasuke admitted, though he had some trouble finding the words to say. Naruto chuckled, but only lowered his head even more. "What makes you think Itachi-sensei's evil?" He asked, making the Uchiha's eyes widen. Sasuke snapped his head towards him.

"He killed off our clan-"

"What if your clan was the one who was evil and Itachi just wanted to right their wrong?" Naruto interrupted him, raising his head, a smirk showing itself on his lips. Sasuke frowned, glaring slightly. Naruto rolled his eyes at the glare, looking away afterwards. "What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, straightening his back.

"I mean that Itachi only killed off your clan because he was ordered to. The Uchiha clan was going up against the Hokage in secret. Itachi was loyal to Konoha instead of his clan so he was the Intel in the operations. It worked, especially since his father trusted him so much that he gave him full details of the missions and works. He was ordered by the Goikenban and the Hokage to kill his entire clan because there would be no use in talking them into stopping. He didn't kill you for numerous reasons, mainly because you had no part in the rebelling." Naruto explained, remembering the words Itachi had said the day he entrusted him with his secret. Only those three and Pein knew of it, no one else in Akatsuki knew. They prefer to leave their pasts behind them so they don't talk about it.

Sasuke stared at Naruto in disbelief. He shook his head slightly, not believing a word of it. "No, I don't believe you."

Naruto only chuckles, shrugging his shoulders. "Believe what you want. It's your choice and your life. Do whatever the hell you want with it." The blonde looked away, thinking the conversation was over. Sasuke looked away as well, his thoughts racing. The more he thought of it, the more it made sense. His father was always looking at Itachi and not him, the reason as to why Itachi was always so busy in Anbu. It was also the reason why he had rebelled against the leaders of the Konoha Police Headquarters, who just happened to be some of the strongest in the Uchiha clan.

Everything started making sense to Sasuke now that Naruto had explained everything to him. It was crystal clear now. But there was still something he didn't get. "Then, why did he tell me to hate him and to hunt him down if he was doing the right thing?" Sasuke asked, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts. Naruto raised his eyebrow at him, his mind going blank for a second. _'What were we talking about before?...Oh, right. It was about Itachi and his reason for killing his clan. Damn it, I finally get a report from one of my __**Bunshins**__ and Sasuke interrupts it.'_

"I'm not so sure about that part. He never really did talk about it much." Naruto shrugged, trying to get back to what his clone had sent him. He groaned mentally when Sasuke kept talking. "Then, I don't have to take my revenge on him but rather the Goikenban and the Hokage. I get it now." Sasuke mused out loud. Naruto nodded while humming, trying to remember what was sent to him before his eyes widened, finally taking in Sasuke's words fully.

"No, wait!" Naruto yelled, stopping Sasuke's musing. Sasuke turned to him, eyebrow raised. "Not yet, you're not strong enough. Besides, it isn't the Hokage's fault. He tried to find any other way to stop them but it seemed like the only way at the moment. The one who threw the idea out was Danzo, a war hawk who wants position of Hokage. He's in the Goikenban so you can take your revenge on him but not the rest. I do warn you, though. I've never really met or seen Danzo before but Itachi-sensei told us to be careful with him if we ever cross paths. He is not a force to be reckoned with."

Naruto looked around before leaning closer to Sasuke. He cupped his mouth with his hands when he was close enough to his ear. "Itachi-sensei said he had an undercover group of Anbu working under the Hokage's nose. I don't think you should take him on with your current strength. He may be old but, if he's able to run a group of Anbu without the Hokage knowing, then he's bound to have some tricks up his sleeves."

Sasuke nodded as Naruto leaned back. Naruto rested his arms on the railing and looked at the water. "That means I have to train even harder. But…" Sasuke trailed off, not sure whether to tell his companion or not. Naruto glanced at him when he hesitated. "Konohagakure's being a bother. I mean, I started training before Itachi even left the village and you're a lot stronger than I am. That Katon jutsu was one of my strongest and you defeated it like it was the simplest thing in the world. At this rate, I'll be a complete weakling by the time you reach Jonin rank."

"Wow, I'm actually surprised that you said that." Naruto said, a small chuckle slipping passed his lips. Sasuke smirked, looking at his reflection in the water. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it." Sasuke said as he looked at himself. Naruto watched him, silently wondering what he was thinking. Sasuke looked at Naruto's reflection and his eyes widened. He had seen that face before, minus the whisker marks. It was in the Hokage's office in a photo frame. How could he not have seen it before?

Sasuke blinked and looked at Naruto, the blonde raising his brow at his sudden action. "What-"

"You look like the Yondaime Hokage." Sasuke concluded, interrupting him. Naruto's eyes went blank for a minute before he smirked, lowering his head slightly. "Yeah, I'm his son. What of it?" Naruto asked, looking back up. Sasuke's eyes widened again as he took a step back. Naruto rolled his eyes, turning away and leaning on the railing. "Geez, you look like you've seen a ghost. What's so special about me being the son of the _**Konoha no Kiroi Senko**_?" Naruto asked, his voice taking on a bored tone.

"You're the son of a legend."

"You're the brother of a legend, too. I don't see people fawning over you all the time." Naruto countered quickly. Sasuke shook his head slowly, "But why leave the village? You're practically royalty."

Naruto scoffed, rolling his eyes skywards. "Yeah, and royalty nowadays are treated like pieces of trash? No one knows I'm the Yondaime's son. If people found out, Iwagakure might have tried to do something to me because of the terrible terms Konoha and Iwa were in. That's why they gave me my mother's last name, so they wouldn't recognize me as Namikaze Minato's legacy."

"So, you were treated like every other normal citizen out there." Sasuke stated, nodding in understanding. Naruto shook his head, his bangs brushing against his cheeks. "No. I was born the night the Kyuubi attacked. My father didn't kill the Kyuubi because it had an unlimited amount of chakra. Tou-san only had one way to defeat the beast and that was to seal it inside a new born baby, who didn't have any chakra coils developed and could hold the beast. Of course, he wasn't going to ask parents to give their children up to be hosts." Naruto explained in a simple matter, not one to use many words.

Sasuke thought on it before his eyes widened. "New born…You were chosen to be the Kyuubi's host?" The tone of disbelief made Naruto smirk. The blonde only lifted up his shirt, showing off his toned core and abs. He applied some chakra to his stomach and strange markings appeared around his belly button. A swirl went around his belly button a few times before it stopped. Wriggles expanded out from every possible angle of the swirl. The seal glowed red before dimming down to a black ink colour. "This little baby has kept that rotten fox inside my head and stomach this whole time."

Naruto paused, deciding it was a good topic to start on another important matter. "You saw my fight with Kota, right? I went berserk because the Kyuubi kept telling me to kill him and kept giving me urges that I can only satisfy by killing. The reason why is because Kota's one of Orochimaru's spy. We still have no idea as to how but he's working for Orochimaru and Kyuubi wanted me to kill him right then and there. If Sakura-chan hadn't stopped me, no one else would've been able to stop my future rampage."

Sasuke stared at Naruto as if he had grown a second head. Sasuke started shaking his head until Naruto shrugged. "Again, believe what you want. All I know is that if Kota doesn't surrender, he's going to meet my parents." The blonde said as he put his shirt down and turned his back to Sasuke.

"As for getting stronger, look for me when all of this shit is done with. If anything comes up, I'll look for you." With that, Naruto took off. Sasuke watched his leave before turning the opposite way and jamming his hands in his pockets. He had an awful lot to think about when he got home.

_Tanuki….._

Gaara walked slowly through the streets of Konoha, his hands in his pockets as he looked for a place to relax and have dinner. He knew that Naruto was off either training or goofing around and Sakura was still up in the Kaoiwa, probably still thinking about what her grandfather had told her.

Someone called his name, interrupting his search. He turned around, only to come face-to-face with his siblings, their teammate and apparently their sensei. They approached him slowly as he waited for them to catch up. He questioned them once they were close enough to him. "Your father wishes to speak with you, Gaara." Their sensei, Baki, as he had introduced himself earlier, told the red head.

Gaara frowned and narrowed his eyes. There was definitely something wrong here. His father never sent anyone to look for him, especially not his siblings. He came to him himself. Gaara turned around, turning his back to them. "I'm not going to Suna. I need to stay here for the Finals." Gaara said as he started to walk away. "He's here, Gaara. He demands to see you." Baki said taking a step forward, ready to stop him if he needed to. Gaara stopped walking then looked over his shoulder.

Gaara's stomach started tossing and turning the moment he nodded. As he followed the Suna ninja, Gaara felt Shukaku getting uneasy. _'Shukaku's restless. The only time he has been like that is whenever Orochimaru or Pein-sama are around. It can't be Pein because Konan-nee-chan got an emergency call from him a few hours ago.'_ Gaara thought as he narrowed his eyes at Baki's back. _'That leaves Orochimaru and I've no doubt that it's him, with what the invasion and all. But where is he? I can't sense his chakra at all. And what's he planning on doing if he's so nearby? He can't be planning on getting Sasuke. It would be too risky; there are too many people around.'_

Gaara stopped his train of thought when they entered an Inn. They quickly went up the stairs and into a room, locking it afterwards. Gaara saw his father sitting on the edge of the bed, his back turned to them. Shukaku growled, making Gaara tense and square his shoulders.

The Kazekage turned around, standing up in the process. Gaara frowned as he stared at his father. No, it wasn't his father. His father never wore that cloth covering the bottom part of his face. And his father never did what he was about to do right now.

Yondaime Kazekage walked over, kneeling down to Gaara's height. He threw his arms around him. If Gaara's body could tense even more, it would have done so. Gaara's eyes widened but not in shock or in any kind of emotion. Shukaku had let out a scream and was trying to take over his head. Gaara pushed his father away and fell to his knees, gripping his head.

He was sucked into a dark room. He looked around, slightly wondering what was going on. He looked over his shoulders and stood up, taking out a kunai in the progress. "Shukaku, where am I?" Gaara asked, staring at his Bijuu. Shukaku, who was lying down inside a circle draw of sand, scoffed. **"Relax, kid. I can't do anything to you as long as this seal is here."** Shukaku said nodding towards the circle. Gaara relaxed visibly but narrowed his eyes. "You didn't answer my question,"

**"We're inside your head. Aside from that, don't be fooled by those pricks, kid. That's not your father, your father's dead."** Shukaku said with apathy in his tone. Gaara's eyes widened for a slight second before he looked away. "What do you mean?" He asked, his voice breaking off at the last word. **"Exactly what I just told you. This bastard in front of you is Orochimaru, I can feel it. And knowing him, I doubt he's holding your father hostage. Don't let your emotions, or rage, get to ya', kid. At least, not here. It's not worth it."** Shukaku said, watching Gaara's fists shake by his side.

"Let me out." Gaara demanded, glaring at his demon. Shukaku narrowed its eyes at him then turned away. **"Do as you please. Don't say I didn't warn ya'."**

When Gaara opened his eyes again, he was in his 'father's' room. He looked up at the Kazekage then stood up, calming down his breathing. "Forgive me, _father_, it happens at times." Gaara said through gritted teeth as he stared hard at the man in front of him. "Do not worry, son, I understand."

_'Do not call me that, you son of a bitch.'_

"What do you want?" Gaara asked rather rudely. The Kazekage narrowed his eyes before turning his back to him. "I know you're an Amegakure ninja. However, your nationality lies within Sunagakure. Aside from that, you're my son." The Kazekage started pacing around the room. Gaara's eyes never left his form.

"So?"

"Your teammates seem to have resentment towards Konohagakure. I'm sure they will be pleased when you tell them what I've got in store for them, for you."

"Get to the point, father." Those words tasted bitter coming out from Gaara's mouth.

"Sunagakure is planning an invasion along with Otogakure ninja on Konoha. I'm sure you and your teammates would like to participate." The Kazekage looked over his shoulder at Gaara, who showed no sign of emotion at all. Gaara lowered his eyes before they snapped back to his face. "Continue," Gaara encouraged, making the Kazekage grin under the cloth covering the lower part of his face.

_Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki…..Hours Later_

"That's the plan," Sakura said, rolling up a map of Konohagakure. Naruto and Gaara sat by her, having listened to her intently. The blonde sat back, leaning on his hands. Gaara laid down on the floor. "Why us? Why is it always us getting the complicated things?" Naruto asked the ceiling, though it didn't answer him back.

"Mind you, this is our part of the whole ordeal. Knowing Pein-sama, he'll put us on the front lines or have us distract the Oto Nin. I'd rather do more damage from the inside than the outside, even if it is a small amount. With the 'Kazekage' leaking information to us through Gaara and the information those Oto Genin gave us, we're bound to fly through this. Naruto, are you sure Sasuke's on our side during this whole thing?" Sakura asked, her eyes trailing from Naruto's chest over to his face.

"Positive. He hates that snake." Naruto assured, giving her a thumbs up. "Gaara?" Sakura asked, turning to him. "Shukaku and I are sure. That's not my father." Gaara replied with a nod. "Good. After this invasion is over with, we'll probably gain rather than lose. With us working with Konoha and the fact that no one seems to know that Orochimaru killed the Kazekage, Sunagakure is sure to give into us if we made some kind of treaty with them." Sakura said standing up and put away the map in her hands.

"Great. Now, can we sleep?" Naruto asked, yawning after finishing the sentence. Gaara dragged his eyes lazily over to the blonde before laying his head back down. Sakura sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Go ahead, lazy ass. I'm still waking you up early tomorrow. We need to figure out that Fuinjutsu if our plan is going to work."

Naruto had stood up the moment she agreed and had laid down on his bed. He waved her off, "Nag, nag, nag. I know what we're going to do. Now go to sleep, I'm tired." With that he closed his eyes and dozed off. Sakura looked over at Gaara, who shrugged. He stood up and gave Sakura a lazy salute before lying down in his own bed. Sakura sighed and walked over to him, running a hand through his red locks.

She leaned down to his ear and smiled. "Thanks," She placed the seal on his shoulder and his eyes started to close rather quickly. Sakura leaned over and kissed his temple, still holding onto his hair then pulled back. She turned around and Naruto's eyes met hers. He looked away and turned his back to her. Sakura closed her eyes before walking over to his bed, gripping his shoulder.

"Naruto,"

"Hmm?"

"I love you." Sakura said, squeezing his shoulder before letting go. Naruto closed his eyes and nodded. He opened them, watching as Sakura turned off the lights and started to settle down on her bed. "Sakura-chan…" Naruto spoke up, stopping her in her tracks. He hesitated for a moment before smiling at her. "I love you, too."

Sakura smiled at him then laid down with her back to him. "I know. Now go to sleep, Baka." Naruto smiled at his nickname and closed his eyes.

_(A/N: I know, I know. Short and late. But I was thinking and I thought, 'Hmm, maybe I should just leave the fans with some past and let them suffer through another chapter without Sakura killing Amaya.' So, I did and honestly, it came out better than I thought it would. I rushed it a little at the end but it's nothing mayor. Just a little heads up for what's to come in the next two chapters. They will be filled with action, gore and all those things we all know and love._

_Glossary:_

_**Gobi- Five-Tailed Demon Whale-Horse. Condylarth, the first hoofed animals, would later split into many different lineages, including Perissodactyla, the order containing horses and Cetacea, containing whales, dolphins and porpoises. In myth, the Sagari was a horse's head which dangled in the branches of a nettle tree. The Bake-kujira was an enormous skeletal whale.**_

_**Hachibi- Eight-Tailed Demon Ox-Cephalopod. In some myths, the Ushi-Oni is a sea creature commonly seen with an ox head and the body of another multi-limbed creature. The Hachibi appears based on this creature. The Cephalopod (class including squid and octopi) is an animal seen throughout the oceans and stories of giant sea creatures have been seen in Japan and throughout many cultures. In other non-Japanese myths, the Kraken is a giant squid capable of terrorizing large ships. The mysterious giant squid itself was finally seen in its natural habitat only recently by researchers.**_

_**Hebi- Snake, Serpent**_

_**Kawa no Kuni- River Country**_

_**Konoha no Kiroi Senko- Konoha's Yellow Flash (Yondaime Hokage's nickname)**___

_The explanation on the Animal Kuchiyose Contracts isn't very deep but I intended on doing that. More of it will be explained later on. Plus, this just gives you another reason for hating the Haruno clan. I know I would if they really did kill of the Ryu's leader's wife just for show. Anyway, thanks for reading, 7__th__ Creature.)_


	7. Invasion

_(A/N: This one took longer than expected. My excuse is because I'm not very good at writing clean fight scenes (As in not making any of them kill the other). Also, I'll ask all of you for a favour. Please pay attention to the reactions Sakura and Genma have towards each other. I want you to tell me what you think will happen (or already happened) between them. Anyway, onto something else. Don't go dissing the fact that I skipped over their period of trying to find a cure for Sasuke's Juin. Really, everything will be explained later. Naruto's and Neji's fight seems a little rushed and unorganized. To put it simply I'm not going to waste my time on something that already happened (and on something you already know it's going to happen). I'm going to focus more on the fights that weren't in the canon, seeing as that probably makes the ending a little more exciting._

Key for this chapter:__

_"Respond over headset."_

_Without further ado, please read on.)_

_Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki….One Month Later_

The three walked into the arena along with the other contestants. As soon as they saw them all, the crowd started cheering and applauding. Naruto looked around, amazed at how many people had come to see them. Sakura looked at a certain place of the arena, where half of the Haruno clan was watching. She dropped her hand into Naruto's, squeezing it tightly. The blonde turned to her then looked at Gaara. The red head was looking around with a slight frown on his face.

"This is huge," Naruto broke the unbearable silence that had come over the three when they had entered the arena. "Yeah, a little too huge, don't you think?" Sakura replied just as they reached the middle. "Too much," Gaara said as the proctor of the exam stalked over to them.

He light brown hair reaching down to his chin. Holding back his hair was a bandana with the metal plate of the Hitaiate on the back of his head. He was chewing on a senbon. His olive green eyes looked around at the crowd before they settled on the contestants. "Welcome, everyone. I am Shiranui Genma, proctor of this part of the exams. This will be a one-on-one battle. The winner is the one who holds out the longest. However, I can stop the match. You may use whatever attacks or equipment necessary. The first fight will be between Uzumaki Naruto from Amegakure and Hyuga Neji from Konohagakure. The other participants please wait in the Fighter's Area." Genma said, pointing over to an area on the wall with seats.

As the Genin started filing out, Sakura held Naruto back. "Remember what I told you. Try to defeat him without using a huge amount of chakra." Sakura reminded him as Gaara stood a few feet back, listening intently as well. The blonde smirked and pecked her cheek. "Everything will be fine, don't worry about a thing." He closed one of his eyes, his smirk widening when she rolled her eyes at him. Sakura let go of his arm and started walking away with Gaara.

Naruto turned to Neji, his smirk leaving his face. His eyes narrowed quickly then he looked away. Genma waited until all of the Genins were present at the Fighter's Area before he turned to the two in front of him. He looked at both of them before placing his hand in between them. "Match A, consisting of Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Neji….Begin!" Genma jumped backwards, landing inside the Fighter's Area.

Neji got in his family's Juken stance but Naruto didn't move. The blonde stared at him, his eyes reflection his boredom. Seeing as he wasn't going to attack first, Neji ran at him, aiming at a tenketsu in his chest. Naruto side-stepped the attack, quickly swiping out his normal katana and aiming at Neji's back. Neji turned around, avoiding the hit completely. He aimed his fingers at Naruto's stomach but Naruto flipped back, sending four kunai out at him. Neji dodged three of them then caught the last one in his finger.

Naruto frowned as he landed in a crouched position about two yards away from Neji. He narrowed his eyes, _'The Hyuga specializes in close range combat. They try to block all of your chakra points to take you out with their Taijutsu. Both Suiton and Futon would work on him but that'd be using too much chakra. Genjutsu won't work because they can see through it using the Byakugan and I suck at them. Taijutsu seems to be the only available choice but that means I have to be faster than him to get the upper hand. Looks like I'm going to be revealing one of my triumph cards early. No matter, it probably won't make much of a difference in the later fights.'_

Naruto smirked as he stood up and tapped all of his weights once. Rolling his shoulder, the blonde got back into a crouched position. "Heh," He snickered before disappearing out of sight. Neji's eyes widened then he activated his Byakugan. His eyes narrowed rapidly through the arena, searching for the Ame Nin. Naruto suddenly appeared behind him, katana ready to slice his head off clean. Neji docked and rolled under the strike, the tip of his ponytail getting cut off. Naruto crouched down and sprinted at him just as he was standing up. Neji dodged the strike but wasn't fast enough to avoid the punch aimed at his gut. Taking the momentum, Naruto grabbed his shoulders and rammed his knee into his gut. The blonde used his elbow to hit him in the shoulder then did a roundhouse kick to his side. Neji crashed against the wall, succeeding in making a crater.

Naruto straightened up, his dark blue eyes screaming out boredom. When the dust cleared from the crater, Neji was nowhere to be seen. Naruto narrowed his eyes before looking up, barely dodging the strike. Naruto ducked under Neji's fingers, easily manoeuvring his body out of the way of his attacks. However, Naruto wasn't fast enough to avoid a strike to his left upper arm. Neji closed his chakra point there, making the blonde stagger backwards. Neji took this to his advantage and started attacking him. "**Hakke Rokujuuyonshou**," Neji called out, striking Naruto twice, then four times , eight times, sixteen times, thirty-two times and finally sixty-four times.

Up in the Fighter's Area, Sakura gripped the bars. "Damn it, I said to beat him without using chakra, not let him beat the crap out of you." She muttered, though everyone there heard her. Gaara huffed, looking away. Sasuke frowned. He had thought Naruto was stronger and would beat Neji easily. _'Guess he's not as strong as he makes out to be,'_

Naruto fell to the ground on his back, his body feeling as if it was run over by something heavy. "Give up. You were destined to lose the moment you were picked as my opponent." Neji declared as he turned his back on the blonde. "Go to Hell, Neji. I'm not giving up," Naruto groaned out, wincing as he tried to stand up. Sure, he's suffered more than this. Still, pain was pain.

Neji turned back to him with a glare. "I've closed all of your chakra pathways. You can't use chakra at all." Neji declared as he turned to the proctor. "This kid can't fight anymore. Disqualify him." Genma turned to Naruto, as if expecting him to stand up. Naruto raised his head to glare at them then shook his head. "If I can't use _my_ chakra, then I'll just have to use the fur ball's." Naruto announced as red chakra started surrounding him. He reached up and took off his headband, shaking his head to let his short bangs loose. He pocketed the Hitaiate and crouched down, his eyes boring into Neji's.

Neji looked at him, completely shocked. _'This chakra…It's so malevolent. What is he?'_ Up in the Fighter's Area, Sasuke tensed. "That's the Kyuubi's chakra, isn't it?" Sasuke asked, turning to Sakura. "Yes, it is." Gaara answered him instead. The Uchiha turned to him. "Aren't you afraid that the fox will be let loose?" He turned to the Amegakure Kunoichi when she scoffed. "He hasn't even entered in his Katagawa no Jotai. He's safe for now. However, Naruto has a short temper. If Neji pisses him off, the Hyuga might just die today." Sakura said, watching Naruto with her arms crossed. Sasuke stared at her then turned to the arena, his eyes widening when Naruto suddenly disappeared.

Naruto appeared behind Neji and kicked him in the back. Neji went down and Naruto sat on him, placing a kunai at his neck. The blonde untied the brunette's Hitaiate and threw it to the side, leaning over him to get a good luck at the seal on his forehead. "I could help you with that, you know. I'm training to become a Fuinjutsu master." Naruto told him, surprising him. Neji looked over his shoulder at him, his eyes showing just a tiny bit of emotion. "Really?" His tone betrayed his slightly cold eyes.

"Mm-hmm. I'll just need you to cooperate with me and I'll that sucker off in no time. Of course, you're going to have to give up the fight." Naruto offered, not at all interested in fighting him. Besides, the sooner they were done, the sooner the invasion came. And he couldn't help the small sinister chuckle escape his lips at the thought of Konoha being attacked. Then he frowned inwardly. _'Too bad it won't be by us. I'd love to see this damnable village up in flames by my hand. Or at least see the council's faces when I burn them alive.'_

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn't notice Neji nod slowly. Naruto got off Neji and stood behind him. Bad move. "_**Hakkeshou Kaiten**_," Neji started spinning in a rapidly motion, catching Naruto off guard. A chakra circle started surrounding the Hyuga. The chakra hit Naruto, sending him flying to the wall.

When the rubble and dust cleared, Naruto was nowhere to be found. "I didn't want to do this but you leave me no choice." Naruto growled out as he appeared behind Neji and stabbed him in his stomach. He placed a kunai to his neck with his other hand. "Give up or I'll kill you." The blonde whispered in Neji's ear as he twisted the blade in his stomach. Neji let out a pained scream, receiving gasps from some of the woman in the crowd.

"That's enough!" Genma called out as he jumped in between them, making Naruto back off and sheath his katana. "Winner of this match is Uzumaki Naruto. I need medics this instant!" Genma yelled out as he caught Neji. Naruto walked over to the Genin. "The offer's still up. I'd gladly help you get rid of that curse." Naruto said before he turned around, ignoring some of the glares he received on his way up the wall and onto where the other contestants were seated on.

"How are your chakra reserves?" Sakura asked once he reached them. Naruto slid an arm around her shoulders, grinning at her. "Relax, they're fine. They opened when I released Kyuubi's chakra." His answer brought forth a scoff from her but nothing else was spoken between them.

The next fight took a while. Shikamaru was always one step ahead of Shino but, in the end, gave up because he couldn't keep up with the Aburame. There wasn't any action on the other fight because Kankuro forfeited. This made Lee devastated. But he cheered up as soon as he realized that he was going to fight Naruto on the next round. The fourth fight made most of the crowd tense.

"Match D, consisting of Haruno Sakura and Haruno Amaya, is about to commence. Fighters, please come forward." Genma called out, his shoulders tense. He looked at the stairs as his breath caught in his throat. _'She's grown up so much,'_ His eyes landed on Sakura as she walked towards him. Their eyes met for a second before Amaya pushed Sakura roughly as she passed by her. Sakura's eyes turned cold as she watched her sister stand before her.

"I'm going to destroy you." Amaya threatened with a smirk. "You can try," Sakura replied with a smirk of her own. Genma looked at both of them before announcing the start of the match. Amaya immediately jumped backwards, separating herself from her younger sister. She made a hand sign but stopped at the second one when Sakura placed a hand on her hip. "Whether I'm in Amegakure's Army or in Konoha's doesn't matter, Amaya. I was still born a Haruno. Genjutsu won't work against me and you know it, _Nee-chan_." Sakura said, hissing out the honorific. Amaya glared as she dropped her hands to her sides.

"Stop acting so cocky, Sakura. You're no better than me." Amaya hissed her glare hardening. "I'm not acting cocky; I'm just stating the truth." Sakura answered with a roll of her eyes. Amaya glowered, clenching her fists. Sakura scoffed, looking into the crowd. She spotted her family and a grand portion of the clan seated just west of her. Her eyes dropped to the ground before she faced her sister again.

"What does being a ninja mean, Amaya?" Sakura asked, confusing the older girl. Amaya raised her brow at her, wondering if she had gone crazy. Her eyes narrowed but she answered anyway. "Being a ninja means being smart and strong. It's something everybody here knows. Why don't you stop talking and fight me."

Ignoring her comments, Sakura looked up at the sky and took in a deep breath. "No, you're wrong and so is everyone who thinks that. Being a ninja is not about strength or about being a good strategist. Tell me, Amaya, if being a ninja is about being smart or strong then why are there so many deaths? Why are there so many strong and smart people but they choose to live like civilians?"

Amaya rolled her eyes at the questions. "Because they want to. Geez, Sakura, stop with your crap. Fight me already." Amaya was getting agitated and the younger Haruno knew this but didn't pay any attention to it. Instead, she kept talking. "No, it's not because they don't want to. Maybe some of them do but not all of them. Being a ninja means sacrificing yourself for the good of the civilians. It means risking your life for strangers. That's why civilian prefer to be civilians. They're selfish and don't want to die. They're afraid of death. But being selfish isn't bad. If it weren't for civilians, there wouldn't be any ninja around. So, really, the two parties support each other in one way or another. Now I'd like to know _why_ you chose the path of being a ninja. And don't give me that crap about you being first born. It's your option to choose whether you want to be a ninja or not. It's your life and future, not someone else's."

"Why should you care?" Amaya frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "Believe it or not, you're still a part of my blood. As much as I _despise_ you, I'm entitled to believe that anyone would help anyone if they'd just get over their pride." Sakura answered with a shrug.

"You talk much. I doubt you've ever been in real danger. Your teammates are always protecting you while you boss them around like you own them. And the sad thing is that they let you." Amaya spat, not noticing Sakura's temper quickly rising. "Heh, have you not been listening to a thing we've been telling you the past month? Tell me, what did you do for your_ dear_ Sasuke-_kun_ when he was attacked in Shi no Mori?" Sakura asked, smirking when her older sister glared at her. "That's right; we had to save your team's sorry ass. Do you really think a clan would want their leader to be saved by a foreign ninja? I think not."

"Shut up!" Amaya yelled out as she threw four shuriken at Sakura's head. Sakura reached out and caught them in between her fingers and smirked as she let her arm fall back to her side. "You're gonna have to try better than that, Nee-chan!" Sakura flicked her wrist towards her. Amaya jumped out of the way, wincing when one grazed her upper arm. She landed a few feet away and grabbed her wound with a scowl on her face. The Ame Kunoichi only smirked.

"If you think you're going to win the hearts of our clan members by talking tough, you've got something else coming!" Amaya bellowed at her. "Who said I was trying to win their hearts?" Sakura asked, raising a single eyebrow in mock questioning. She suddenly disappeared, only to appear behind Amaya. "What if all I want is to _destroy every single one of you_?" Sakura asked, growling out the last part. Amaya flinched and turned around, aiming a punch to her face. Sakura ducked and tackled her to the ground by the stomach with her shoulder.

The redhead fell hard on her back and, when she opened her eyes, she had to suck in a breath. Sakura was holding her katana only inches above her neck. Sakura pulled away and made a backflip, landing low on the ground. "I'm not done with you, yet. I want to play with you for a little while more."

Amaya jumped on her feet. Sakura rolled her shoulders, getting ready to sprint again. Her sister's next words stunned her in her place. "What happened to you, Sakura?" Amaya asked as she straightened up. Sakura frowned before shaking her head slightly. "Shut up, Amaya. From here on out we fight."

Amaya got into a fighting stance as soon as she heard those words. Sakura glanced up at her teammates. _'Naruto finished his fight too soon. I have to stall for time so that the Konoha and Ame forces get ready. If I stall too much, the enemy ninja might get anxious and giddy. They'll be more focused on finding victims rather than their surroundings, giving both Ame and Konoha Anbu a chance to sneak attacks on them. My mission at the moment is to stall. In another case,'_ Sakura looked back at her sister, who was waiting for her to attack. _'I can't disable her or hurt her too badly. We need as much forces as we can. I'll just make a few scratches here and there then I'll knock her out with a Katon jutsu.'_

Making up her mind, Sakura sprinted forwards. Amaya was too slow but did manage to avoid getting hit the first time. When Amaya ducked, Sakura straightened up and rammed her knee into her chin, sending her flying backwards. Amaya recovered in mid-air then landed on her feet, quickly rolling to the side to avoid being kicked in the forehead. Sakura made a roundhouse kick, her heel making contact with the redhead's stomach. Amaya was surrounded by smoke, a log replacing her.

Sakura sensed the other Kunoichi's chakra and ducked under the punch, rotating her body to swipe at the older Genin's feet. Then she made a handstand and dropped her heel on Amaya, who moved her head to the side to avoid her heel. Amaya stood up and jumped backwards just as Sakura stood up and grabbed the hilt of her katana. Sakura dropped her hand when she noticed how hard Amaya was breathing. _'Her stamina's not very high. I remember when mine was like that. Itachi-sensei kept beating the crap out of me, even when I couldn't feel my legs and my lungs burned for air.'_ Sakura thought with narrowed eyes.

"You should've spent more time training rather than chasing a guy who will never like you back. Maybe then you could've been more promising." Sakura stated, her frown showing everyone her disappointment. Amaya glared at her, too focused on breathing to say anything. "I still can't believe Tou-san chose you over me." Sakura mumbled, though her tone was flat. _'Yeah, right. Who am I kidding? I'm better off being part of Akatsuki than being part of a corrupted clan with no positive values.'_

Her words had the effect she wanted. "Shut the hell up!" Amaya glowered, only succeeding in making her younger sister smirk. "I really don't see what the clan saw in you. Yeah, you're pretty but looks aren't important in a clan leader. You may be good in Genjutsu but what if you don't have the stamina to keep up with your opponent? Consider this your first Shinobi lesson; to be able to win, you need to train!"

Sakura rushed forward, not giving Amaya enough time to truly catch her breath. Sakura leaned down and slid on her knees, going under her and in between her legs. Once she was under her, Sakura swiped at her legs then made a backflip to avoid being crushed. Landing, Sakura unsheathed her katana and rushed towards her fallen sister. Amaya stood up then rolled under the strike. Planting the tip of her katana on the ground, Sakura jumped and leaned on it, kicking Amaya away from her. The Ame Nin landed on her feet then ran at her after removing her sword from the ground. Amaya quickly took out a kunai and blocked the hit. Sakura smirked at her while she glared.

Sakura jumped back, her smirk turning into a frown. She lowered her head, allowing Amaya to catch her breath again. "I do have to thank you, though. If it weren't for your insults and mistreatment, I probably would've ended up like you." Sakura looked up at the sky, letting her hair frame her face as a breeze blew by. Her hair covered her face but Amaya could clearly see the distant look in her eyes. "It's because of you that I found my reason for fighting, my reason for living. It's thanks to you that I have such a wonderful family, despite the fact that none of us are blood related."

Amaya inhaled and closed her eyes, allowing that breeze to blow her hair about. For a moment everything was silent, even the two sisters seemed at peace. Sakura closed her eyes, enjoying the cool air. _'I think I've stalled long enough. Let's get serious.'_ Sakura's eyes snapped out, something Amaya seemed to sense because her eyes open at that exact moment. Sakura sheathed her katana before getting into a fighting stance. "Let's get serious, then."

"All right, here we go." Naruto commented as he straightened up, anxious to see Sakura kick her sister's ass. Gaara hummed in agreement, a smirk slowly making its way onto his lips. Sasuke looked at both their reactions before coming down to a conclusion. _'If Sakura beats Amaya in two minutes or less, I'm accepting Naruto's request.'_

Sakura started making rapid handseals before placing her hand near her mouth. "**Katon: Goukkakyou no jutsu**," She inhaled and blew out a ball of fire towards her sister. Amaya jumped up and made a backflip to stick onto the walls. Her eyes widened when she saw that Sakura wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Boo," A familiar voice behind her interrupted her thoughts. Amaya jumped off the walls, only to have Sakura kick her back. Sakura grabbed the back of her shirt and threw her over her shoulder, twirling around to send kunai at her. Amaya crashed against the wall, the kunai holding her in place but not without ripping some skin. Sakura finally landed on the ground as she looked up at her sister struggling to get out. "Give up," Sakura ordered with a glare. Amaya stopped moving before she shook her head.

Sighing, Sakura jumped up and placed herself in front of her, using chakra in her hands and toes to stick to the wall. Their faces were mere inches away from the other's but that only made the exchanged glares even more intense. "I want you to listen to me and listen carefully." Sakura grounded out between gritted teeth. Her voice was just a whisper so that people wouldn't hear her talking. "Konoha's going to be 'surprised' attacked by Oto and Suna during the last fight of the second round. I need for you to give up now. If you don't, I'll be forced to wound you badly and we need as much man power as we can. Please, Amaya, it'll be the only thing I'll ask of you in this lifetime. Comply with me now and I'll let you live your life however you want." Sakura explained, her eyes portraying just how serious the situation was.

Amaya wanted to refuse, to yell at her but something prevented her from doing so. Whether it was the slightly pleading look or the fact that she was trapped, she didn't know. Amaya nodded and was filled with a sudden sense of pride when Sakura's face broke out into a smile. "You won't regret it. Konoha's safe in our hands now." Sakura let her fake smile drop slightly as she jumped back before landing in a crouched position on the ground. _'For now, anyways,' _Was her last thought before Amaya announced her forfeit.

"Winner of this match Haruno Sakura of Amegakure no Sato!" Genma announced with a proud smile. He winked at Sakura, who blushed and smirked his way. Sakura turned her attention to her sister then waved her hand side to side. The kunai keeping Amaya to the wall fell when a gust of wind hit them just in the right angle. Amaya slipped down the wall before jumping off the wall and landing by Sakura. "Don't think that just because I gave up this time I'll go easy on you next time we meet." Amaya said as she started to walk away with her head up high. Sakura's eyes softened as she stared at her back. _'If only Otou-can hadn't filled your head with lies and absurdities, you probably would've been a little more tolerable.'_

Sakura snickered, catching the retreating Haruno's attention. "Just make sure to focus on your training and not on boys. Maybe then you'll be a decent match." Sakura's words brought a grin to Amaya's face. "We'll see," With that, Amaya reported to the Nurse's room. Sakura turned to Genma, nodded her thanks and jumped into the Fighter's Area. She was greeted by two smirks and a kiss on the lips.

"How you managed to get her to give up is beyond me," Naruto said when he pulled away from her. Sakura grinned at him then turned around in his arms to lean against his chest. "You just need to choose the right words." She told him, winking in Gaara's way. Gaara rolled his eyes but his smirk never left his face. Sasuke smirked as he leaned on the railing. _'Not a very exciting way to win but she did it. My mind's made up, then.'_

"I forfeit," Temari's words brought Sasuke out of his musing. He snapped his head into her direction. Temari was leaning on the railing while shaking her head. Genma raised his brow before nodding and announcing Sasuke the winner. Sasuke glanced at Sakura, who nodded at him. His anger quickly left him. They were being smart about this. They needed a lot of man for an invasion and they were saving up the power.

Genma announced that they were going to take a break. It gave the civilians some time to get snacks. It also gave time for the Konoha and Ame Nin to regroup.

An Anbu appeared by the Genin. "Hokage-sama wishes to speak with you four in room 209 in the infirmary. Your presence is requested as well, Genma." When he received five nods, the Anbu disappeared. Naruto and Gaara started leading the way down the stairs with Sasuke, Sakura and Genma following.

Once inside the indicated room, seals became apparent in the walls. _'Sound Blocking seals. This has to be important,'_ Naruto thought as he narrowed his eyes at the seals. The Hokage, accompanied by Kakashi and an Anbu Captain, sat down on one of the beds in the room. "All of the Konoha troops are ready. What about the Ame reinforcements?"

"They're all set, sir." Sakura informed with a curt nod. Sarutobi hummed and closed his eyes. "Is Sasuke briefed of his mission?" He asked, making Sakura tense. Their headsets were on and the rest of Akatsuki could hear what they were talking about. Naruto noticed this and chuckled. "These seals interrupt any signal coming in or heading out of this room. Everyone else outside is oblivious to what we're discussing."

Sakura visibly relaxed, letting out a brief sigh. If word got out that they had different plans than Pein's, he might punish them. And she did not want that. Although they're not as painful as Itachi's, Pein's punishments could make them beg for mercy. And everyone that personally knew them knew that they _despised_ begging for mercy.

"Yes, he is. Everything's set on our part of the mission." Sakura replied.

Genma had to suppress a smile. She had grown so much from the last time he saw her. She used to be a little girl hiding behind the shadows of her clan and now she was helping in leading a counterattack on an invasion that probably would've have been a secret success if it hadn't been for her and her team. _'I just wished I could tell her the truth behind Haiiro's extreme behaviour towards her. Maybe then she wouldn't be this heartbroken.'_ Genma thought as he watched her exchange information with the Hokage and her team. Anyone who couldn't see the pain and suffering in her eyes was clearly blind. Her chakra also seemed troubled, especially when she had been fighting Amaya.

"Very well, then. You wouldn't mind Genma switching the fights, would you? It wouldn't matter if Gaara and Sasuke were to fight first on the next round?" Sarutobi asked. Sakura blinked before she looked at her teammates and Sasuke. "Both of our troops are ready. We shouldn't let them wait so long." Naruto considered with a shrug. "We should get this thing on the road. If we wait too long, our Shinobi might think that there's no invasion and might let their guard down." Gaara reasoned while crossing his arms. Sakura's eyes trailed over to Sasuke, who nodded. "The sooner we're done with this, the sooner we can kick some snake ass."

Sakura smirked then turned to Hiruzen with a nod. The Hokage looked at Genma, "It's decided, then. The next match will be between Gaara and Sasuke." Genma nodded his understanding.

Naruto stretched and yawned then. "That's great, then. I should probably get a nap in before we start kicking some traitor ass." He started heading to one of the beds until Sakura grabbed the back of his ear and started pulling him out of the room. "I don't think so, you lazy ass. We're going back up there whether you like it or not."

"So that you two can get some making-out in before we start?"

"Shut the hell up, Gaara!"

"You three are idiotic." The four Genin left the room, leaving Kakashi, Genma and Hiruzen to stand there with an Anbu Captain. Kakashi turned to the other Jonin. "When are you going to tell her the truth?" Kakashi asked as he pulled out that infamous book out of his pouch. Genma shrugged, lowering his head only slightly. "She has a family now. It would be best if I leave it at that."

Kakashi was about to say something else until a Chunin knocked on the open door. "Excuse me, Hokage-sama. We're ready to begin." The Hokage nodded and dismissed him. The four left the room and went their separate ways.

Down at the arena, Genma waited for the crowd to calm down before speaking into his microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, there have been a few changes to the bouts. Some matches have been moved to let the winners of the previous battles rest. Without any further delay, Uchiha Sasuke and Sabaku no Gaara, please come forward." Sasuke smirked at Gaara before jumping over the railing. Gaara followed him after glancing at his teammates.

The Kazekage tensed then turned to his seating partner. "Hokage-sama, why did you change the fights?" His voice was calm but it hinted slight irritation. Sarutobi glanced at him before looking back at the arena. "The previous fighters asked for some time to rest. I hope you don't mind, Kazekage-sama." Hiruzen announced. The Kazekage frowned then turned back to the arena. "Not at all,"

_Refuge Area…_

A group of Chunin were leading a crowd of citizens up the stairs leading to the shelters. The citizens were calm, as these practices were completely normal. The group of academy students were at the back of the line. Some grumbled about going through these bothersome things while others seemed relatively calm.

The man who had greeted Team Seven at the end of the Second phase of the Chunin Exams led the group of first time academy students. As they filed up the stairs and into the bunkers, he saw pressed a button attached to the microphone around his neck. "The last batch has just been evacuated, Hokage-sama."

_"Very good, Iruka. Please guard the bunkers until further notice."_

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Iruka responded before nodding to the other Chunin.

_Back at the Arena….._

Sasuke pulled his hand out of the ball of sand covering Gaara. He jumped back as spikes appeared around it. Sasuke panted while he held his bleeding arm. _'This much trouble just to defeat a damn snake.'_ He glanced up at the rest of the Ame team. _'This better start right this moment. The only effective jutsu against Gaara is __**Chidori**__ and I can only use it twice. I don't think I can hold on much longer.'_

Temari tensed as she watched the spikes around the ball of sand disappear and start to crack. _'Gaara's going to release the Shukaku here? And without permission? He's crazy!'_

Inside the dome of sand, Gaara smirked as he dropped his arms to his side. He grabbed his ear. "I'm ready, Ryu."

_"All right, Tanuki. You know the rest of the plan. Act as if you're hurt, that'll probably make Kabuto drop the Genjutsu."_ Sakura's voice was heard over the headset. "I don't have to act, Ryu. Sasuke really did hurt me," Gaara answered, ignoring the pain soaring through his left shoulder. _"You know what I mean, you dumbass. Just do it." _The redhead smirked at her words as he grasped his shoulder. He let the dome drop slowly, his bored stare changing into a pained glare.

_'Gaara should really be in a movie. He's as good an actor as he is a sand wielder.'_ Naruto mused in his head as he watched Gaara feign his pain. All of a sudden, the blonde started feeling a little dizzy. "The hell is this?" His question put Sakura on guard. She looked around, leaning over the railing to look at the whole audience. Realizing it was a Genjutsu, she placed her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder, immediately pulling him out of his sleepy trance. "Genjutsu; it's almost time." Sakura said before repeating it into her headset.

_"Konoha and Ame Shinobi on guard, the invasion is about to begin."_

After those words were spoken by the Anbu Captain, an explosion occurred where the Kages were positioned at. At the same time, Kankuro and Temari jumped down to check on Gaara. Baki watched the Anbu engage at the Kage's position before jumping in front of Gaara. Genma quickly positioned himself by Sasuke.

"His wound is worse than I thought." Temari called out after looking at Gaara's wound. Baki gritted his teeth, looking over his shoulder at Gaara. "You fool, this is what happens when you try to transform before the signal is given." Baki grounded out. Gaara looked up to glare at him. _'There's a corner right there. Why don't you go and jack off?'_ His thoughts were interrupted when the Suna Jonin instructed Temari and Kankuro to take him away from the village and tend to his wounds. Kankuro draped Gaara's arm around his shoulders and the two took off with him.

Sakura watched them leave before giving Genma the order to dispatch Sasuke after them. Sasuke ran over to the wall, dodging the kunai aimed at his back. Baki sent another rain of kunai only to have Genma block them with his own. Once Sasuke was safely over the wall, Sakura and Naruto turned to the battle going around the entire arena. The citizens were fast asleep but safe. Kakashi and Maito Gai, Neji's sensei, were the ones making more damage on the Oto and Suna ninja in the area. "Pein-sama's orders were to help defend the arena and citizens." Naruto muttered as he watched several bodies of both enemies and allies on the arena floor already.

"But our plan with the Hokage said otherwise. Remember, we'll do more damage to Orochimaru with our plan. We'll get punished but it's sure as hell worth it." Sakura said as she looked over at a certain section. Deidara and Sasori were taking down some Suna Shinobi and they were pretty sure the rest of Akatsuki was spread out throughout the village. Sakura turned in the direction Sasuke just left. "Let's go. We've stalled long enough for those three to get out of the village." Naruto grinned in anticipation before they both leapt towards the wall.

Deidara saw them and called after them. "Where the hell do you think you're going? Gaara betrayed us, leave him be!" Deidara said as a spider made out of clay exploded in an enemy's face. Sakura ignored him as she jumped over the wall while Naruto gave him the bird before following her. "Damn kids," Sasori muttered as Hiruko's tail cut another enemy in half.

_Outside Forest…_

"That kid's following us." Temari called out just as they reached a mile outside of the village's gates. Kankuro clicked his tongue, adjusting Gaara's hold on him. Gaara had his head down, having faked his passing out. "I'll hold him while you get Gaara out of here." Temari said as she stopped at a tree branch. Kankuro slowed down but then sprinted away after a glance her way.

Sasuke landed on a tree branch in front of her. He glared, "Move or I'll move you." Temari's response was taking out her fan.

"_**Futon: Reppushou**_," A familiar voice rang out just before a gust of wind hit Temari. Temari slammed into a tree, her back making a dull thud sound. She looked up to see Naruto and Sakura land by Sasuke, Naruto's katana in his hand. _'The Uchiha was enough. Now these two are here? I won't last a minute in battle with them.'_ Temari thought as Sakura crossed her arms, Naruto crouched down and Sasuke smirked at her while jamming his hands in his pockets.

"I'm outta' here," Temari muttered as she leapt away after her brother. Naruto snickered as he watched her run away. "Come on, the sooner we get this over with, the better." Sasuke said as he jumped away. "Someone's anxious, despite the fact that he's going to be in a whole world of pain." Naruto said in an amused tone. Sakura smiled then jumped off after the Uchiha, the blonde following her.

A sudden quake of the ground alerted the three Genin of the invasion taking on a whole new level of fighting. The three turned to in the direction of the village, their eyes widening when they saw the three-headed snake breaking down a part of the wall. "Damn it! Owl, what the fuck's going on over there?" Sakura asked through the headset. Static was heard before an answer came. _"This is Ibiki and Jiraiya-sama is on his way to take care of the snake."_

"Tell him to hurry up. If that snake gets any further into the village, all of you are screwed!" Sakura signed out and started jumping after the Suna ninja and her comrades. _'Forget about being far enough to not be detected. We need to head back as soon as possible.'_ Sakura thought as she increased her speed, easily passing by Sasuke and jumping at his side. "We need to do this fast. There's no telling what other tricks that snake has up his sleeve." Naruto said as Sasuke tried to catch up to them and keep their pace.

"What do you mean? Orochimaru didn't tell you about the snake?" Sasuke asked as they started closing in on the trio. He turned to Sakura when she spoke. "He didn't tell us about a lot of things. One of them being that the signal was the smoke bomb used to mask the Hokage in the smoke, and the Genjutsu was only to make the citizens fall asleep and easily knock out the unable Shinobi."

"Up ahead!" Naruto shouted, interrupting their conversation as multiple kunai were sent in their direction. They jumped out of the way and Naruto threw shuriken in the direction the kunai had come from. Kankuro came out of the bush to dodge the weapon. He landed on a branch and, when he looked up, he flinched. Sakura and Sasuke were going to crash against him. To his surprise, they landed on the same branch in front of him then flipped over him just as Naruto yelled, "He's all yours, Shino!" The Aburame nodded as he landed not too far away from Kankuro.

"I'm going on ahead! Follow my chakra signature, Sakura-chan!" Naruto jumped off when he saw Sakura's nod.

_Arena….._

Kota looked around, fear evident in his eyes. This wasn't part of the plan. The Konoha ninja were supposed to die and be surprised, not come out and fight them as if they were prepared. Hell, even the Amegakure ninja around knew who to fight. Wait….Amegakure ninja. Kota's eyes widened. _'One of those three must have figured something out. Damn it, I need to tell Orochimaru-sama.'_

Kota stood up from his hiding place, only for his escape to be blocked by an Oto ninja. "What are you doing? I'm on your side!" Kota yelled then frowned when the Oto nin snickered. "We were ordered to kill you. You know too much about Orochimaru-sama." With that said, he attacked. Kota took out his katana but ducked when the Oto ninja swung his kunai at his head. Kota twisted his blade and swung up, only to have the Oto nin move to the side. He threw the kunai, cutting Kota's hand and making him let go of the katana.

Kota looked up from his bleeding hand when a shadow was over him. He closed his eyes, waiting for the contact. It never came, instead he felt something warn and wet drip down to his cheek. His eyes shot open. The Oto Shinobi had been impaled through the stomach by what looked to be a metallic tail. The tail suddenly moved, throwing off the Oto ninja onto the arena below. Kota's eyes snapped over to a guy in the Akatsuki cloak. Hiruko narrowed its eyes at him.

A hand on his shoulder made Kota jump. "We need to talk." Kakashi said as he hit one of Kota's pressure point in his neck and hauled him onto his shoulder. "Gai, I'll be back. Keep your guard up." With that, Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

_Forest Outside of Konohagakure…_

"Nice job, Naruto." Sakura said as she narrowed her eyes at the beaten down Temari. Naruto grinned as he shoved his hands in his pockets. He looked down at the ground and kicked Gaara's side. "You can stop pretending now, Ototou." The blonde said as Gaara opened his eyes to glare at him. "Asshole," Gaara muttered standing up. Temari gasped, watching as the three exchanged compliments. "Let's get on with this," Gaara said as the three encircled around Sasuke.

The Uchiha gulped and got down on his knees, taking off his shirt in the process. He closed his eyes as Naruto rummaged through his weapon pouch for a piece of paper, where all of the markings were written down on. "This is going to hurt a lot, huh?" Sasuke asked as he took a calming breath when Sakura's cold hand rested on his shoulder, right on top of the Juin. "No, it's going to hurt like Hell." Naruto reassured with a sinister smirk. Gaara chuckled darkly, his aura changing from calm to evil in less than a second. Sakura sighed at their antics. "That's enough, you two. He's scared enough already."

"I'm not scared." Sasuke defended himself, raising his chin high. Naruto's smirk grew and he got close to the Uchiha's ear. "Boo," Naruto growled out, making Sasuke jump. Naruto started laughing, only to wince when Sakura hit him over the head. Though she was sporting a grin of her own, her voice was serious. "There's an invasion going on about five miles from here. We don't have time to be joking around….No matter how hilarious it is to scare the crap out of Sasuke."

"Hey!"

Naruto grunted while rubbing the back of his head. Gaara smirked as he put ran a hand over his injury, staining his fingers and palm with his blood. Naruto and Sakura cut their palms with some wind chakra. Naruto started marking Kanji on Sasuke's back, shoulders and chest with his own blood. When Naruto was done with his back, Gaara started tracing the signs with his own blood. Sakura followed in tracing the markings they left behind with her blood.

It took about ten minutes to finish all of the signs. Sasuke was now covered in markings drawn in blood from his neck down to his waist. Sakura finished on Sasuke's waist then straightened up, looking over their work. "All right, we don't have much time. We need to focus on overpowering the Juinjutsu and sealing it away. If you smell anything, tell us, Naruto." Sakura ordered as she made the _**Saru**_ _**Mudra**_. Naruto nodded as he and Gaara made the same hand sign as her. They closed their eyes as they started channelling chakra to their hands. At the right point, Sakura opened one eye to look at the other two. "Ready?" she asked, feeling Sasuke tense at their response. Gaara hummed in a positive while Naruto took in a deep breath, "Now!" He yelled as the three started making fast handseals.

When they stopped at the _**Tori Mudra**_, a white glow surrounded Sasuke as he grunted in pain. Slowly, a dark glow began to appear right by the white one. Once the dark glow had come to the same height as the white one, Sakura was about to slam her hand down on Sasuke's shoulder when Naruto let out a strained groan. She opened her eyes and gasped when she saw that the dark glow was overpowering the white one. "Guys, we have a problem." She uttered, grabbing their attention. The two teenage boys opened their eyes before they widened, watching as the dark glow grew twice the size of the white glow. "Crap! We're gonna have to give up some of our Yin chakra. This Juin is too powerful!" Naruto instructed before closing his eyes. Sakura took in a deep breath, followed by Gaara. White glows appeared around all of them and spread towards Sasuke. The white glows mingled with each other before mixing.

When she saw that the white one was a little higher than the dark one now, Sakura slammed her hand down on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke let out a painful scream but it grew in volume when Gaara slammed his hand down on top of Sakura's. Naruto placed his hand over theirs as he shouted out over Sasuke's scream.

"_**Aueishīru: Ten no noroi no māku**_!"

The white glow consumed the dark glow and began mixing with it as they descended down on Sasuke's head. Sasuke let out another scream before he went silent. "Now!" Naruto shouted as they made the _**Tora**_ _**Mudra**_. "_**Heisa**_!" They shouted in unity. A circle appeared around the Juin with an 'X' planted on top. Sasuke fell forward, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as his body went limp. Gaara's sand caught him before he hit the ground.

Sakura took a step back and leaned against the tree behind her as she caught her breath. Gaara landed roughly on his ass, his breathing heavy. Naruto fell to his knees and palms, his entire form shaking in pain. He touched his forehead with the ground, muttering curse words under his breath. "That thing was overloaded with Yang chakra. Sasuke's alone wasn't enough," Gaara panted out, closing his eyes in fatigue. Sakura uttered a silent swear before sliding down the tree, her legs not able to hold her weight any longer. She held her stomach in pain as she winced.

Sakura reached up to her headset, "Kakashi, we've successfully sealed away Sasuke's Juinjutsu."

_"Good job, you three-"_

"There's just one problem." Sakura took in a breath of air before replying. "We've completely exhausted our chakra and we're really low on Yin chakra. Sasuke's Juin was overloaded with Yang chakra and his alone wasn't enough to even keep it under control for long. We had to merge ours with his. We're still out in the forest, about five miles southeast from the front gates. I don't think we can make it there soon."

_"It's all right, you three. Just rest and keep an eye out. Our reinforcements just arrived and that three-headed snake Kuchiyose is down. We've taken care of most of the forces so just rest easy."_

Sakura sighed in relief, signing out. "You heard him; we can stay here for a while." She told the other three before snapping her head towards a bush. Kankuro came out battered and injured. He froze when he saw Sasuke unconscious, the three on the ground still panting and Temari beaten on a corner. "What's going on-"

"Shut up, sit down and don't utter a word. We're exhausted and not in a very good mood. You do _not_ want to mess with us right now." Naruto interrupted, sending a glare in the Suna Shinobi's way. Kankuro gulped and nodded, sitting down right by Temari. Naruto sat back against a tree as Gaara lay down.

_Konohagakure….._

Clenching and unclenching her fist, Sakura sighed as she looked out the window of the room. Citizens and Shinobi alike were rebuilding or repairing the very little damage that came with the invasion. Because they were ready, Konoha Shinobi and Kunoichi had been able to keep Oto or Suna ninja from getting deeper than the northern half of the village. Most of the damage had been dealt by the Hebi Kuchiyose and very little damage had been caused by bombs. Less than a hundred Konoha and Ame ninja but more than fifty had died. If the numbers were combined, it went a little over a hundred but if they were compared, it showed that Konoha had dealt more loss than Ame. Indeed, it had definitely dealt more loss.

_'Hokage-sama….'_

Why him? Why did he have to die? He was such a great man, always looking out for the village and others. True, he was in an age where he should've retired long ago but it wasn't fair. He didn't deserve to die the way he did. It didn't matter if it was an 'honourable' way to die. He didn't take Orochimaru with him to the Shinigami's stomach. Orochimaru fled and Sarutobi didn't deserve that. No matter what anybody thought, he didn't deserve to die like that, without accomplishing his final goal as a sensei and as the Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato.

_'I'm sorry we failed you….'_

Nothing could compare to the empty feeling inside the young girl's stomach. Sure, she hasn't eaten all day but that was beside the point. The old man could've been here if it wasn't for a slightly miscalculation. No, slight my ass, Sakura thought, gritting her teeth. It was a damnable miscalculation that led to all of this. If only sealing away that Juinjutsu hadn't taken away so much chakra, stamina or Yin chakra they could've help the Hokage. They could've help defeat that damn _**Saundo yon**_ and could've helped Sarutobi kill Orochimaru. But no, they totally underestimated Orochimaru's power, yet again, and fucked up the whole ordeal.

_'I'm so….so sorry, Hokage-sama. We could've done better….We should've done better….I'm sorry,'_

The back of her eyes burned every time she muttered or thought over those two words. However, tears didn't form or even tried to do so. Her sorrowful tears ran out a long time ago. She hasn't cried since she was eight and she sure as Hell wasn't going to start now. Besides, Sarutobi wouldn't have liked her mourning over his death.

_'Then why am I here?...Oh, right. It's my entire fault…..I'm a failure to both you and Konoha.'_

The door to the room opened but Sakura didn't turn around to know it was her boyfriend. Naruto's eyes softened when he laid eyes on her slouched form. He closed the door behind him and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her figure. He placed his chin on her shoulder, nuzzling his cheek with hers. Sakura leaned back into his touch, knowing full well he blamed himself just as much as she and Gaara did.

"The service will start soon. We should go." Naruto muttered as his raspy yet deep voice sent a chill down her spine. Sakura closed her eyes and nodded before letting out a sigh. "How's Gaara?" She questioned, her voice dry from not using it so much the past week. Naruto purred, nuzzling his nose into the crook of her neck. "Not in any better shape than the two of us. He's getting ready right now."

"Okay," A dead silence filled the room with the exception of Naruto's occasional purrs. The sound vibrated through his chest and onto her back, relaxing her. Just knowing that they were here, unharmed and safe, while the Hokage was going through Hell with the Shinigami made her uncomfortable. She didn't voice her thoughts or feelings because she could _feel_ that, besides his purrs, the blonde holding her tightly to his chest and the redhead across the hall felt the same way. It was evident in the low hum and rhythm of their chakra. It was mournful, sad. It was guilty, ashamed. It was angry, infuriated. It was regretful, remorseful. It wanted payback, revenge. It wanted to feel Orochimaru's heart in its threads and rip it to pieces, one by one.

A knock on the door interrupted the silence. Gaara was waiting for them. "Let's go," Naruto muttered, stopping his purring. Sakura nodded again as he let go of her and went to open the door. Sakura turned around, her eyes meeting Gaara's. The pairs softened and broke contact as Sakura grabbed her bag pack and followed the two out onto the hallway.

_'I hate the fact that I have to go to your funeral…..'_

_(A/N: Holy shit, I updated? It's a miracle! Now, now, I have my reasons. You see, I got my first quarter report card like two weeks ago and I got two F's so my grandmother grounded me up until now. The only reason why I've been able to online is because I went to my friend's house with my iPod._

_Anyway, Chunin Exams are over with. And now we move onto the Tsunade Search Arc. This is where things start to head downhill for the Akatsuki and possibly Naruto's and Sakura's future. Why? Oh, because Sakura gets- (The following preview has been cancelled to due overload of Spoilers)._

_It really is a surprise I'm in a good mood. (Warning: The following Manga Spoilers may be very sensible to those who are not caught up to speed in the Manga, yet. Viewer discretion is advised) When I read that the Sharingan led up to the Rinnengan when it reaches a certain point, I stopped. I mean, seriously? You're going to give the Sharingan even more power when it doesn't deserve it at all? What also pissed me off earlier today was that I realized something. The Uchiha had to work hard to obtain the Sharingan, sure. But after they do obtain it, it's a breeze for them to become powerful. They are given power on a fucking gold platter when others have to train their asses off just to obtain a certain rank? It really seems unfair to me. Though the concept that Madara isn't Tobi (Because I don't know who he is, I'm back to calling him like that. If it is a male, anyway) still intrigues me, Kishimoto made the final draw in the concept of the Sharingan and Rinnengan. It's too surreal and unfair. Some might find it awesome but I just don't._

_If I do insult anyone, I'm sorry. However, that is my opinion on the matter and I will stand for it. That's enough self-rambling for now, though. Here's the Glossary for this chapter:_

_Note: Jutsu, moves or other things with the sign (*) are made up._

_***Aueishīru: Ten no noroi no māku- Seal Away: Heaven Curse Mark is a Fuinjutsu technique developed by Uzumaki Naruto, Sabaku no Gaara and Haruno Sakura. To seal away the Juinjutsu Orochimaru had placed on Sasuke during the Second Phase of the Chunin Exams, Naruto, Gaara and Sakura studied Orochimaru's works and experiments. They uncovered that by countering the Yang chakra that was activating the Juin, they could make it disappear, or overcome it. To counter the Yang chakra, they had to use Yin chakra. Because they themselves are made up mostly of Yang chakra (Being as Naruto and Gaara are Jinchuuriki and Sakura's the reincarnation of a demon queen), they needed another source of Yin chakra. Sasuke is human so his Yin and Yang chakra are balanced. They used his Yin chakra to overpower the Juin and seal it away. Because Sasuke's chakras are now unbalanced, he falls into a deep slumber until his Yin chakra returns. For this Fuinjutsu to work better, the Juinjutsu is sealed away by three different kinds of blood. This jutsu requires a lot of concentration and chakra, meaning the user(s) will be chakra exhaust afterwards if they do not have enough stamina or chakra reserves. If the Yin chakra does not suffice, the users will have to give up some of theirs for the Fuin to be complete.**_

_**Chidori- Thousand Birds is a Ninjutsu technique developed by Hatake Kakashi utilizing the Lightning Element. Chidori allows him to cut through any foe. Later, Uchiha Sasuke used his Sharingan and the training of Kakashi to also learn the technique. It was given the nickname Raikiri after it was said Kakashi used the technique to cut a lightning bolt in two. Chidori is used for assassination purposes. Activating the body to focus chakra to the hand, Kakashi and Sasuke's hand become enveloped by an electrical force. This force is their chakra altered in nature to an electrical current. By altering the shape of the force, similar to an electrical discharge, they can decide the power and range of the attack. After concentrating all the chakra into the arm, Kakashi and Sasuke use their quickness and the power of the thrust from the chakra to pierce any object with the extended forearm. Because their opponent can easily counter the attack, it requires a Sharingan user to make the technique worthwhile. The Sharingan will allow them to predict any moves their opponent decides to make and send their strike home into the target. Due to the high speed, the force emits a sound like a thousand birds chirping which gave the technique its name. Because of the great amount of chakra needed to utilize the technique, the technique can only be used so many times during the day.**___

_**Futon: Reppushou- Wind Style: Gale Wind Palm is a Ninjutsu technique utilizing the Wind Element. After forming the needed hand seals, Nagato will send a strong gust of wind towards his target. When acting in conjunction with another thrown weapon, the wind can increase its power and deadliness.**___

_**Hakke Rokujuuyonshou- Eight Divination Signs, Sixty-Four Palms of the Hand is a Taijutsu technique unique to the Hyuga bloodline. Hakke Rokujuuyonshou is a special technique passed down through the main family line. When an opponent is within the clan members divination field of attack, they can quickly begin their assault. The technique allows the clan member to use the Byakugan eye to see the inner chakra coils system. Using the Juuken style, they can force their chakra through their hands into the tenketsu of the opponent's body through 126 strikes. First the clan member will strike 2 times, then 4, 8, 16, 32 and finally 64. This damage forcibly closes 64 tenketsu, stopping the chakra flow of the opponent. This then limits their opponent's ability to use jutsu.**___

_**Hakkeshou Kaiten- Eight Divination Palms of the Hand, Heavenly Spin is a Taijutsu technique unique to the Hyuga bloodline using the Juuken. Kaiten is a special technique passed down through the main family line. Kaiten takes advantage of several of the unique abilities of the Byakugan eye. Byakugan gives the clan member an almost complete 360 degree view of their surroundings. This allows the member to see all angles of attack. If an attack is near, the clan member will release a large of amount of chakra from their tenketsu. The member then begins to spin like a top, creating a whirling vortex that can nullify almost any attack.**___

_**Heisa- Closure**___

_**Saru Mudra- Monkey Seal is the Ninth sign of the Chinese zodiac. It is associated with West-Southwest and the month of July.**___

_**Saundo Yon- Sound Four**___

_**Tora Mudra- Tiger Seal is the Third sign of the Chinese zodiac. It is associated with the East-Northeast and the month of January. Note: The Tora Mudra has been associated with Katon manipulation.**___

_**Tori Mudra- Bird Seal is the Tenth sign of the Chinese zodiac. It is associated with West and the month of August.**_

_So sorry for the long wait (A month, huh?) and thank you for reading, 7__th__ Creature.)_


	8. Emergency!

_Amegakure….._

"You called, Pein?" Kisame asked as he and Itachi stood at ready in front of the leader. Pein gave a curt nod from his chair. "I have a mission for you two. You are to search for a temple in the given country and retrieve a Kuchiyose scroll." Pein explained as he leaned back in his chair. "What country are we being sent to?" Itachi asked after a short silence.

"_**Uzu no Kuni**_,"

_Amegakure Training Grounds…._

Ducking under the punch, Sakura aimed for an upper cut. Naruto moved out of the way, using a backflip to avoid the hit. Gaara quickly took advantage of this and made a leg swipe as soon as Naruto landed on his feet. However, before he could rotate his body completely, Sakura's heel was aimed at his shoulder. Gaara got flat on his back, grabbing Sakura's ankle and throwing her off. Naruto jumped over to her, tackling her to the ground. Sakura slid away from his grasp before they hit the ground, only to have Gaara aim a punch at her side. She ducked, making a roundhouse kick to his side in the air.

Gaara blocked the kick with both arms before grabbing her ankle again and throwing her towards Naruto. The blonde grinned, seeing his victory but stumbled back once Sakura landed softly on his chest and pushed off him to go back to Gaara. The redhead gritted his teeth as he landed a few feet away from them. He rolled to avoid Sakura's incoming fist and jumped back to evade Naruto's kick.

Gaara leaned against a tree nearby, panting. Sakura landed far from them while Naruto stayed where he had attacked Gaara. They've been going at it for an hour now, only using Taijutsu. Naruto was the only one who had been able to land a hit on any of the two but it was only twice and it was on Gaara.

"You two got better," Naruto complimented as he tried to catch his breath. He used to beat them like ragdolls because of his stamina. They improved greatly but Sakura still looked more tired than the Jinchuuriki. Gaara nodded at the compliment, only to fall on his ass, his legs not able to take any more of the strain. Sakura huffed, her knees failing her and making her fall forward. She dropped onto her hands and knees, trying to catch as much air in her lungs as possible.

Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head. He was out of breath and his legs were burning but he could go on for a few more minutes. He dropped his grin and snapped his head towards the entrance of the training ground.

Konan was standing there, watching them. Her calculating eyes were taking on their exhausted forms before she spoke. "You're wanted at the office." She said before vanishing in an instant. Sakura huffed again and Gaara groaned, Naruto snickering at their reactions.

Not ten minutes later, they were standing in front of Pein. He looked over them before standing up. "Konoha asks of your help." Pein said while looking at Naruto and Sakura. He paused, waiting for their reactions.

"What for?" Sakura asked her tone flat yet hinting her curiosity and something else.

"The Goikenban has sent for you two." Pein explained as he looked at them with narrowed eyes, especially at Sakura. "I expect you to behave. I do not want a repeat of last time."

The three newly-promoted Chunin shuddered. When Pein found out about their little plan with the Hokage behind his back, they were tortured for hours inside Itachi's Tsukyomi. To top it off, they were forced to exhaust their chakra beforehand by fighting the rest of the Akatsuki altogether. Even Pein and Konan had joined in the 'fun', as Kisame had put it. So, by the time they did enter the Genjutsu, they were already tired and running on empty. That's not the worst part. Because Itachi and Pein had had a brief talk about it beforehand, their torture techniques had been combined. They didn't eat dinner or breakfast the day after. It's a miracle they're able to even train only a few days later.

Amused at their reactions, Pein continued with his explanation. "You're expected there tomorrow noon. I suggest you leave now. The Goikenban doesn't accept tardiness. As for Gaara," Pein turned to the redhead, who immediately straightened up. "You are to go to Sunagakure with Sasori and Deidara for the remainder of the month and the next. Some papers will be sorted out there and I want you to train in your natural surroundings. "

"Hai, Pein-sama,"

"Good. You're all dismissed."

_Konohagakure…_

As they reached the Front Gates, the couple gave the guards their Ninja IDs. Because they were promoted to Amegakure Chunin when they came back home, they were _forced_ to wear Chunin vests. Of course, they had it custom made to fit their outfits. Naruto's Chunin vest was orange. He had changed his clothes, opting for a black long sleeve ninja shirt and combat boots. The traveling pouches had been replaced by the pockets on the vest. He now only supported both of his katana on his back and only his weapon pouch on his belt. Sakura's Chunin vest was a deep blood red. She changed her tank top for a black short sleeve ninja shirt. She kept her fishnet. Similar to Naruto's change, her traveling packs were now scrolls inside her vest pockets. With only the weapon pouch and her two katana on her belt, it was easier to move around. Gaara's vest has been black but it didn't make him change his attire.

The guards nodded for them to pass through as he handed their IDs back to them. "The Goikenban is waiting for you on the academy roof." One of the guards said. They nodded and jumped off towards the Ninja Gakko. It only took a few minutes. The immediately recognized the two. The male had short, spiky grey hair and green oval glasses. The woman had grey hair and seemed aged.

The two Ame ninja landed in front of them silently then straightened up. "You called for us?" Sakura asked with narrowed eyes. Naruto grounded his teeth as he stared at them. They were the ones who made their sensei's life a living hell. They were the deeper cause of Sasuke's agonizing pain and hatred. They were also the reason why _their_ childhoods had been miserable.

"Yes. As you know, Sarutobi was killed by Orochimaru two weeks ago in an attempt to stop him from continuing with the invasion. It was a noble cause but it hurt us even more so than the invasion itself, not only emotionally but in power and strength as well." The man started, only to have Sakura hiss and Naruto growl lowly in anger.

"We are without a Kage at the moment," The woman continued, ignoring their reactions. "We asked the only Sanin completely loyal to us to become the next Hokage. However, he refuses and insists that there's a more suitable candidate. Her presence is not in Konoha and the man needs to go find her elsewhere. He has asked of your presence in his trip."

"What's in it for us?" Naruto asked rather rudely. The elders glared at him but he remained impassive. Sakura stepped forward.

"What he means is why we should do even more for you when this village has treated us like dirt? We already saved you from Orochimaru's clutches by informing you and preparing you in the best way possible. To be honest, we would've let the village burn if it had been another person leading the attack. However, we ourselves have grudges against that bastard of a snake and we _know_ that we can't defeat him by ourselves. He targeting you guys was just a coincidence. We would've reacted the same way with any other Hidden Village. Now, onto the most important question: Why in the seven gates of Hell should we work for you when you've done nothing but make our lives complete bullshit?"

The two elders were left stunned in their places. No one had ever talked to them like that. They were higher ups, respected by every other Shinobi out there. These kids had some nerve…

"Because," A voice boomed over them, making the two Chunin look over their shoulders at the new comer, "I requested for your assistance myself." The man landed by them. His long white hair was rustled by the air when he landed. "You two are, after all, the reason why Konoha is still alive and well."

"Jiraiya-sama of the Sanin," Sakura muttered before scoffing and looking away. "Why would you want to have anything to do with us?" She then asked while crossing her arms over her chest.

Jiraiya chuckled then patted Naruto's head, earning him a low growl. "I'm interested in you two, that's all. So, I'll give you two hours to rest from your trip. We'll meet at the Front Gates then." With that said, Jiraiya left the roof in a puff of smoke. Naruto and Sakura looked at each other and frowned. They jumped off, taking his leave as a dismissal. Besides, they didn't see a reason for staying there with the old farts.

As they landed on the road of the market place, something came out from under Sakura's vest and fishnets. She grabbed a hold of the necklace and looked at it, looking over the design. It was a silver dragon outline with a small chain. Behind the dragon was an engraving of 'Akatsuki' in Kanji. Both things were made from white gold. Sakura looked up just as she heard Naruto move closer to her. He was holding something in his hand. It was an identical to the necklace she held but instead of a dragon, it was a fox with nine tails. Gaara had gotten one of a Shukaku. They were all made of white gold and, according to Kakuzu's negative remarks; it had cost a lot of money.

It had been a present from the Akatsuki members on their making of Chunin. Of course, the ranking wouldn't have been something special but, because they've been in Akatsuki for most of their life, it also served as their membership. Because they didn't want rings when they joined like the rest of them had, this just proves their loyalty to them. More so, today was Sakura's birthday and they gave it to her as a gift the day before. They had also given Naruto and Gaara's, saying it was an early birthday gift. Either way, the trio had loved it and they couldn't have been any happier.

"You know I wanted to take you out for your birthday today," Naruto started then sighed. "But now we're stuck in this 'mission'. I'm sorry." He apologized, only to receive a peck on the cheek. Sakura shrugged it off then started looking around for something to eat.

"Pein-sama forced us to go. I do _not_ want to be tortured again." Sakura said as her eyes landed on a dango shop. Naruto chuckled when he looked in the direction she was staring. He grabbed her hand and started leading her into the store. As they sat down on a small booth and a waiter took their orders, they began to contemplate on why Jiraiya wanted them to go with him.

"He's my godfather, I think it was about time he noticed me." Naruto stated his opinion as he leaned back in the seat and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Sakura frowned then sighed. "I get that part and I've no doubt about your reasoning. But what does he want with _me_? He's a Sanin. He doesn't need another Chunin if he's going to spend time with his godson or if he's going to look for another candidate for the Hokage seat."

"Who knows? But, if the rumours about him being a complete and utter pervert, he better watch out. If I catch him even glancing your way, I'll rip him to _shreds_." Naruto threatened, growling out the last word. Sakura snickered at him then grinned when two plates of dango were placed in front of her. Naruto chuckled then reached for his own plate.

At that moment, a group of people entered the restaurant. Sakura was too busy enjoying herself with the dango to notice their chakra signatures. Naruto smelled them right away and looked over his shoulder. He leaned out of the booth, calling over someone. "Hey, Uchiha!"

Sakura looked up at the surname. True enough, Sasuke, Amaya, Keiko and Hitomi were entering the shop. They turned to them once Sasuke's name was called. "What are you two doing here?" Sasuke asked once he had neared the two. The three Haruno girls followed him.

"Having lunch, duh. Geez, Sasuke, for Rookie of the Year, you're pretty idiotic." Naruto mocked as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. Sakura kicked Naruto in his shin under the table, earning a high-pitched yelp from him. Sasuke thanked her and she winked back at him before leaned back in her seat.

"I think Sasuke-kun meant, what are you two doing in Konoha? I thought you left right after Sandaime's funeral." Amaya said and the aura around Sakura immediately changed from neutral to dark. She pushed her plate away and hung her head low. Naruto flinched at the change of demeanour. He sent Amaya a look before reaching over and cupping Sakura's chin.

"Hey, it's not your fault-." Sakura shoved his hand away and stood up, walking off without a word. Naruto sighed in frustration and ran a hand down his face. "Sakura-chan's still sore about the old man's death. She blames herself because she made a miscalculation in our plans and we weren't there to help him out." Naruto said while looking at the other four.

"Go after her, then."

The blonde shook his head at Sasuke's suggestion. "No, you saw she rejected me. It'd be better if I let her blow out some steam first. She knows where to find me." He said shrugging and reaching over for another stick of dango. Before he put it in his mouth, he spoke again. "You can sit down. I'm not going anywhere any time soon."

_Half an Hour Later…_

Naruto raised his head off the table when he sensed someone familiar come in. He looked over just as Sakura came into sight. She blinked when she saw everyone at the table then slid onto the booth by Naruto. She leaned back, her eyes scanning the group before sighing and looking away. She mumbled an apology for running off but they dismissed it, understanding why she reacted the way she did.

That's when Naruto noticed her bloody knuckles. "Sakura-chan, are you all right?" He asked in concern, reaching for her hand. She let him grab it and examine her knuckles. She nodded in response, licking her free thumb and wiping the blood off, showing them that she had already healed the wounds. Naruto smiled and leaned over to her, licking her cheek. Sakura blushed and pushed him away. "There are kids in here," Naruto only chuckled and leaned away.

Amaya frowned at the exchange, slightly jealous that her sister got someone before she did. Sasuke rolled his eyes and popped another dango in his mouth. Keiko watched the exchange carefully meanwhile Hitomi never took her eyes off the Ame Kunoichi sitting right across form her.

"So, seriously, why are you two here?" Sasuke asked once more. The two looked at him before looking back at each other. As if in a silent agreement, the blonde one shrugged.

"We were called over for a mission on Konoha's part. According to the one who hired us, we're the 'heroes' of the invasion, those fucking ass-kissers." Naruto responded then flinched when Sakura glared at him. He glanced at Hitomi and muttered a small apology for his language.

Keiko's chest swelled a little with pride. The way her youngest daughters kept glancing at each other every now and then was an event she had wanted to see from day one. She was also glad that a fight hasn't broken out between Amaya and Sakura. She guessed it was Sakura's way to apologize for her behaviour in the streets a few months ago, or she was probably being neutral. She hasn't gotten a chance to get to know this new Sakura (Yes, new Sakura. She hadn't been kidding when she had said she wasn't that six year old civilian girl), yet.

Keiko snapped out of her thoughts when Sakura spoke. "We're leaving in an hour so we should probably get going." Sakura said as she stood up but not before placing a few bills of money on the table. Naruto's bills followed suit, sitting right on top of hers. "I hope that covers for our expenses. Maybe we'll see you later." Sakura spoke up again then paused when her eyes landed on Hitomi. A small smile graced her lips. It seemed contagious because Naruto smiled at Hitomi, too. "We'll talk later, _**Imōto**_." With that the two left the restaurant with a small wave directed at Sasuke.

"Sakura isn't the same anymore, huh?" Keiko asked herself as she watched the two leave.

"As much as I hate to admit it, she's not. She's grown up a lot." _'But just you wait, __**Imōto**__. I'm not taking a backseat to you. I'm going to show you off. Just wait until the time is right.'_ Amaya concluded in thought, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

Hitomi looked after her older sister with big green eyes. Her small hands fisted her dress lightly. _'Nee-chan...Who are you? And why are you so nice to me when I don't know a thing about you?'_

_A Month Later….._

"You do know Naruto has enhanced senses, right?"

All of the noise in the room stopped. Naruto was lying down on the Inn bed with his back resting against the head board. He was leaning to the side, supporting some of his weight with his elbow. Sakura was sitting on his crotch drinking from a water bottle. Jiraiya was on the other bed, for once not going out to the pubs to gather information on the Hokage candidate they were tracking down. He was going over the information he had gathered so far from his investigating. However, when the kunoichi had uttered those words….

"What do you mean?" Jiraiya asked, looking up from his work. He narrowed his eyes at the way Naruto allowed her to sit on his pelvis while being relatively calm, despite being a teenage boy. Sakura seemed even more comfortable than he.

Sakura rolled her eyes, tossing the bottle over to the trash can in the corner of the room. "When Naruto learned how to control Kyuubi's first tail, the first tail's chakra merged with his. That way he can control it better. With this came a few benefits. His sense of smell and hearing were amplified to a point where they can rival that of an Inuzuka's. You could've given him something with this person's smell and he probably would've found them a long while ago."

Jiraiya stared at the two blankly after processing the information in. After all this time...They could've been home by now and he could've kept attending that of his research. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

It was the blonde's turn to speak. "We thought you knew but didn't have anything for me to go by. We kept quiet about it, seeing as you were so determined to go into pubs to gather information." He finished with a shrug, earning a frown. Jiraiya turned away, scratching the back of his head. He didn't really have anything that could lead them to Tsunade by smell. It was futile, anyway.

Turning back to the information in front of him, the Sanin sighed. "In any case, I already found her. According to her debts timeline, she's hitting Tanzaku Gai next. It's only five miles north of here. We should get going before she reaches it." Jiraiya suggested then turned to look at them. Sakura was now lying down on the blonde's chest, watching him. Naruto was listening but was staring at the ceiling.

"What if whoever you're trying to contact isn't coming willingly? We've already wasted one month just looking for her. If she wanted to be caught, she would've made this easier for us." Naruto considered, turning his head to look at the older Shinobi. Jiraiya nodded and leaned back on his bed.

"You're right. But don't worry about that right now. We'll get to that when we find her." Jiraiya stood up and grabbed his backpack. The Chunin looked at each other before standing up and grabbing their own possessions.

_Tanzaku Gai….Next Day_

"Ugh, it reeks of too much sake in here." Naruto commented as he waved his hand in front of his nose to try to get rid of the awful smell. Sakura rolled her eyes as the three entered a tavern. Jiraiya chuckled at his reaction just as they reached a table and a waiter greeted them. After ordering water and a bottle of sake, the waiter left them.

Jiraiya then started a small chat with Naruto about training while Sakura looked around. Her eyes landed on a couple of women in the booth further up. One of the women had her head on the table. Her gaze seemed troubled. The other one was looking pitifully at the blonde one. Wait! Blonde, pigtails, hazel eyes and a diamond in the middle of the forehead?

_'That's the woman Jiraiya-sama is looking for!'_

"Jiraiya-sama, I found her." Sakura told the two guys at the table, interrupting their conversation. "What?" Jiraiya asked, tensing up. Sakura nodded, pointing over to the booth with the two women. Jiraiya looked over and his widened.

"Tsunade?"

The blonde woman looked up at the mention of her name. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw her old teammate. "Jiraiya? What are you doing here?" Tsunade asked, raising her head off the table to properly look at him. Grinning, Jiraiya stood up and walked over to their booth, the two Chunin following.

Tsunade's eyes wandered over to the two Chunin, her eyes widening even more when she looked at Naruto. _'Minato? No, he's dead, has been for the past thirteen and a half years. This has to be another kid trying to imitate him. Tch, I've ran into too many of them.'_

"It's been a while," Jiraiya greeted as he slid into the booth. Tsunade turned back to him, about to protest but sighed when the other two took a seat by him. "What are you doing here, Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked as Jiraiya's waiter brought them their drinks. The teens ordered their meals then the waiter left.

Knowing that the following conversation was of no importance to them, they decided to talk strategy. "What are we going to do about that snake? We can't just let him get away with what he did to the old man." Naruto asked while leaning back. Sakura sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. He immediately placed his chin on top of her head.

"For once, Naruto, I'm not so sure." She raised her head to look at him. "I think we should wait until this mission blows over. Maybe we can think of something with Itachi-sensei." Naruto nodded at her words, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Tsunade watched the small interaction before scoffing, succeeding in getting everyone's attention in the table. Sakura narrowed her eyes before closing them, deciding to just ignore her. Naruto looked away after a short while, shifting to get more comfortable against his girlfriend.

"Who are these kids, Jiraiya? They're love-struck with each other, and they'll get killed because of that." Tsunade commented, her eyes landing on her former teammate. Jiraiya glanced at his two charges, chuckling nervously when they glanced at him.

Sakura stood up just as the waiter brought them their orders. "I'm not going to sit here and listen to a rundown old woman insult me. If you need anything, I'll be training outside of the town." She was about to ask Naruto to move so she could get out when Tsunade stood up.

"Listen here, Gaki. I'm a Sanin so you better respect me." Tsunade hissed, a glare manifesting itself in her eyes. Sakura scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"You're a Sanin, huh? You sure don't act like it. So far, the only one who has shown his worth as a Sanin is Orochimaru and I _detest_ that _corrupted_, _worthless_ piece of a snake. I'll call you a Sanin once you get that stick out of your ass and start using your powers for good. While you drown your self-inflicted misery in sake and debts, you're not worth the title of Sanin in my eyes."

"You better watch your words, kid. I'll-"

"You'll what?" Sakura interrupting her as a snarl made its way onto her face. By now, the whole tavern had looked over to their table. "You'll beat me to a pulp? You'll strangle me to death? I'd like to see you try. Believe it or not, you're still part of Konoha's military army, no matter if you're retired or not. I'm part of Amegakure's army. You surely don't want a Fourth War because a supposed Sanin didn't keep her temper in check."

Tsunade's glare hardened even more, if possible. The air around the table was so thick that it was probably visible to the Hyuga eye. Shizune cowered in fear of her master while Jiraiya watched on, slightly amused. Naruto leaned back in his chair, nodding every once in a while as if agreeing with Sakura's words. Tsunade finally broke eye contact to look up at the girl's Hitaiate. She looked over to Naruto's before sneering.

"Who do you think you are, you brat?" Tsunade said, her eyes narrowing back on Sakura.

"Haruno Sakura, proud Chunin of Amegakure, part of the group Akatsuki and leader of Akuma no Buntai." Sakura growled out, showing her fangs for emphasis. Shizune gasped and her eyes widened, an action that didn't went unnoticed. All eyes landed on her just as Naruto stood to back Sakura up.

"These kids…." Shizune's eyes trailed from Sakura to Naruto, "They're legends already. They're feared in all of Hi no Kuni, Kaze no Kuni and _**Ta no Kuni**_. But I thought there were three: Ryu, Kitsune-"

"And Tanuki. He's off on another mission." Naruto interrupted and Shizune nodded at his words. She then turned to Tsunade.

"They led Konoha and Ame's counterattack on the Oto and Suna invasion on Konoha just almost two months ago. Some people say that if it hadn't been for them, Konoha probably wouldn't exist right now. They also got rid of Gato, which led to Nami regaining its glory in shipping and fishing." Tsunade frowned at her apprentice's words before looking at the two teens in front of her. She turned to Jiraiya, deciding to just ignore the two.

"So, it's true. Orochimaru attacked Konoha. And took the Hokage's life, too? Oh well, the fool was too old for the job anyway." Tsunade sighed in disappointment, shaking her head in shame. Naruto's anger flared at that and slammed his fists on his table.

"Don't you dare talk about the old man like that! You wouldn't know what he gave up for us! He's no piece of trash for you to be talking about him like this!" Naruto bellowed, his voice cracking in his fury. Tsunade merely just looked at him before waving him off.

"That old fart had it coming. He was a fool to be playing Hokage at such an age." Tsunade murmured with a flat tone. Naruto started growling then blinked when he realized he wasn't the only one who was doing so. Sakura had her head down, her bangs hiding her face completely. He turned back to the blonde in front of him, gritting his teeth.

"Take that back," He threatened with his voice low and profound. Tsunade only rolled her eyes at the threat.

"He was like the rest of them. All of the Hokage met a quick death in the end. It's a condemned position. I pity the one who'll take the seat next."

Naruto's eyes suddenly changed colour and his pupil turned into a slit. His whisker marks became thicker. "Making fun of the Hokage position is one thing but mocking the Kage themselves is another! You dare insult my father again and I'll rip ya' to shreds! I don't care how many civilians are watching! Nor do I care about our villages' alliance! My father sacrificed himself for the good of the village and its people, and I will _not_ stand for you to insult his sacrifice!"

"And here I thought you two wanted revenge against Konoha." Jiraiya mused after having been silent for such a long time. All eyes turned to him. He was staring at the teens by him with a raised brow.

"No, not Konoha entirely," Sakura shook her head slightly before looking up into his eyes, "It's the Goikenban we're mostly after. They influence the civilians and the clan heads. Besides, they were the ones who told everyone about Naruto being Konoha's Jinchuuriki. They were also the ones who accepted the treatment between the Haruno clan's main household and made our childhoods a living hell. The citizens can only be blamed up to an extent. "

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. These kids kept giving him surprise after surprise. "What about what you said to Koharu and Homura? That you would've let the village burn if it had been anyone else than Orochimaru?"

Naruto shrugged, his anger diminishing only slightly. "They needed to be scared shitless." The blonde then let a shit-eating grin take over his face, his fangs showing. "Their reactions were quite satisfying."

The male Sanin shook his head, face-palming his face. Sakura only grinned in return then she looked over at Tsunade, a frown replacing that grin. "Sarutobi's death is not only Orochimaru's fault, but mine as well. I underestimated Orochimaru's powers and made a slipup. It rendered me, along with Naruto and our other teammate, vulnerable for a long while. Because of this, Orochimaru wasn't able to be stopped." She looked down at the table, her fists clenching shut.

"If only we had gotten there ten minutes sooner…."

Sakura took in a deep breath before looking back up to face the older woman. "I really don't care if you accept the position of Kage or not. However, if you decline, it'll just prove how right I am to think of you as lower than scum." Sakura grabbed the bottle of water then turned to Naruto. They exchanged nods and started leaving the booth.

"We'll be in the hotel room if you need anything." Naruto announced before they left the restaurant. Jiraiya looked on after them before looking down at the untouched plates of food.

_'They left me the bill…And they didn't even touch their food.'_

_Nightfall…._

Light green eyes watched the stars with held back emotions. Sakura sighed as she lay back, crossing a leg over the other. She watched as one star in particular blinked and shined brighter than the others.

A sudden pain in her lower stomach made her recoil. She grabbed her abdomen, a hiss escaping her lips. She took in a deep, shaky breath to try to calm down her now erratic breathing. Her other hand went to the roof below her, scratching at the material. Her teeth came together in pain. Her eyes shut tightly as another wave of agony passed through her.

Sakura snapped her head to the right when she heard approaching footsteps. Despite the pain she was in, a growl escaped her throat. "What are you doing here?"

Tsunade sighed and knelt down by her. "Where does it hurt?" Sakura narrowed her eyes at her before hissing when another wave hit. Tsunade immediately knew it was some kind of internal damage. Her hands glowed blue as she placed them over Sakura's abdomen. Her eyes quickly widened when she got a picture of the damage.

"Kid, we have to get you to Konoha now. You're badly injured."

"What?"

Tsunade nodded and tried to help Sakura up but the younger girl only winced when she tried to sit up. Tsunade picked Sakura in her arms and jumped off the roof, landing on the windowsill by her room. She kicked the window open, startling Shizune.

"Go wake up Jiraiya and the brat! This girl is poisoned and it's eating away at her organs. I need to get her to Konohagakure! I'll go on ahead. Just wake those two up!" Tsunade ordered then jumped off before Shizune could reply. Quickly snapping out of her surprise, Shizune went to find the other two.

_(A/N: It's longer than the last one, that's for sure. Anyway, you're all probably wondering how or why Sakura got poisoned. Well then, this is where the canon-like timeline ends. Everything from here on out will be my sole imagination. Maybe there'll be some pointers towards the original canon story but this is where it all begins._

_Also, I had been thinking about Orochimaru being the one that poisoned her but then it would follow the canon timeline. But then I think, "Wait a minute. Why would Orochimaru need to look for Tsunade when all he has to do is wait for Sasuke to go to him, or send the Sound Four earlier than planned?" Yeah, I know the fight on the roof top of the hospital between Naruto and Sasuke is important as to encourage Sasuke to go with the Sound Four, blah, blah, blah. But Naruto and Sasuke are friends (Well, up to a certain point) so me showing that fight won't do shit. Besides, the Juin is sealed away so there's no reason for Sasuke to go to Orochimaru. And we all know that he was mostly influenced by that damned Juin._

_**Glossary:**_

_**Imōto- Little Sister**_

_**Ta no Kuni- Land of Rice Patties**_

_**Uzu no Kuni- Land of Whirlpool**___

_Anyway, I updated lot sooner than I anticipated. And, to be honest, this chapter isn't just one. It's actually a whole chapter divided into a few pieces. I'm not sure how many yet but I guess we'll find out soon enough._

_In any case, thank you for reading, 7th Creature)_


	9. Attack!

_(A/N: It's Naruto's time to shine! And we find out just what the hell is wrong with Sakura! Oh, but I promise you, it's nothing good. And now with Amegakure's crisis….Boy, are we in for an emotional breakdown. It's not in this chapter but it will be in the next one.)_

_Konohagakure…..Dawn_

"How is she, Baa-chan?" Naruto asked as soon as Shizune and Tsunade came out of the operating room. Jiraiya shifted behind him on his seat, leaning to the side to resume his sleep. Tsunade nodded at Shizune, who sighed and walked off down the corridors of the hospital. Tsunade turned to the blond Chunin in front of her.

"Who are in charge of you two?" When she saw Naruto slightly confused and irritated expression, she sighed. The news was not going to fit well with him. "Who is your guardian?"

"Uchiha Itachi," Naruto muttered out with a little resentment in his tone. He wanted to see his teammate. He wanted to know just what the hell happened to her back in Tanzaku Gai. He also wanted to know just who in all of Fucktown would want to poison his girlfriend. He didn't care about Itachi, or Amegakure, or even Gaara this moment. Sakura was the only one in his mind and Tsunade was pissing him off even more than he already was.

Tsunade's eyes widened considerably when she regarded this. Uchiha Itachi was the one who had annihilated the _entire_ Uchiha clan, save for one member besides himself. These kids wouldn't be hanging around a dangerous man like him. Before she could ponder even more on the subject, Naruto rudely interrupted her.

"Baa-chan, if you don't tell me how Sakura-chan is holding up right now, I will release Kyuubi in all of Konoha!"

It was an empty threat, they both knew that but Naruto didn't have any other choice. He was desperate by now and Tsunade stalling wasn't helping his cause.

Tsunade took a deep breath and sat down on one of the chairs against the wall. Gulping down to damp her suddenly dry throat, she sighed. "Sakura was somehow wounded on the right side of her abdomen not many hours ago. She was either attacked, missed something during training or got scratched by a certain substance and it poisoned her. We were too late to extract the poison before it couldn't do any damage."

"What's that supposed to mean? Baa-chan, I'm practically dying out of desperation here. Stop stalling and tell me what's going on." Naruto finally pleaded, his eyes changing from a stormy sky to a sorrowful ocean.

Sighing again, Tsunade stood up and walked over to the window in the hallway. Her eyes travelled through the streets, taking in the scenery. It was comforting to be home and not worry about any debts. However, if this is how things are going to be, hectic and everything, she'd rather stay with that kind of lifestyle.

"The scratch was in her lower abdomen. It attacked the closest organs; her ovaries." Tsunade turned to Naruto to see his reaction. His slightly confused, yet pained, gaze told her millions of things. She let out a shaky breath, slightly nervous about the news she was about to bestow on him.

"Sakura won't be able to have any children."

_Sunagakure….._

Kankuro leaned back in his seat, narrowing his eyes at his younger brother. Gaara stared back at him with his arms crossed. Kankuro's eye twitched slightly but he didn't dare move. Gaara raised his non-existent eyebrow, a smirk forming on his lips. The older male frowned, struggling to keep his eyes open. The redhead chuckled. Then, Kankuro blinked.

"Ugh! Damn it!" Kankuro glowered, slamming his fists down at the table. Gaara rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

"I told you not to challenge me in a staring contest. What did you think I did whenever I hadn't been able to sleep at night?" Gaara asked and Kankuro glared at him. Temari sighed and shook her head. Gaara glanced at her then back at his brother. He was about to say something else but someone crashed in through the doors of the restaurant and ran over to them.

"Gaara-sama, Akatsuki has been called to an emergency in Amegakure. You are to gather up the rest of your group and leave immediately." The Suna Chunin informed and, by the time he was done speaking, Gaara was already out the door.

"What's going on?" Temari asked as Kankuro and she stood up to face the Chunin. The Chunin turned to them and his grim face told them something very wrong was happening.

"Amegakure no Sato has been attacked."

_Konohagakure Hospital….._

Naruto stared at Tsunade, his eyes showing just how pained he was with the news. He slumped against the wall behind him and slid down to the ground, gripping the fabric of his pants.

Sakura won't have babies. She won't be able to accomplish her dream of starting a family; their family. After she had worked so hard to rip hers from her heart and failed only slightly, she can't and she won't have one of her own. They can't start their own clan, or rebuild his. One of their dreams have been crushed and, as he gripped his legs tighter, he promised himself he would find the bastard that did this to her – to_ them_ – and kill him.

"Tsunade-sama!" Naruto snapped out of his sadistic thoughts when a Chunin came running down the hall to them, calling out Tsunade.

_'Great. I've only been here for five hours and I'm already getting a headache.'_ Tsunade thought as she turned to face the frantic Chunin. He stopped in front of her and Naruto realized it was one of the Chunin from the first part of the Chunin Exams. Izumo, if his memory serves him right. "What is it, Izumo?"

Gathering his breath, Izumo spilled the beans. "Amegakure has been attacked. A messenger bird asks for backup and the rest of Akatsuki to report back immediately. Sunagakure has been contacted and they're already on their way. It's really grave, milady."

Before Tsunade could even think, Naruto interrupted. "No way. Pein has the best security in the entire nation. How could anyone penetrate it?" The blonde was frowning and his voice was calm but his stance was ready if he needed to sprint.

Izumo shook his head, "We don't have many details. The message had been written in a hurry."

Tsunade let out a curse. "Get me the list of able teams ASAP. We need to dispatch them now. Go, Izumo!" The Chunin nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Tsunade turned to Naruto. "You'll be leading the squads. Get ready."

"What about Sakura-chan?"

"She just finished surgery. She's fast asleep and won't wake up for a while. I'll watch over her. Just go, Amegakure needs you." Naruto glanced at the door of Sakura's room before nodding. "Get your things and wait at the gates. I'll send the teams over."

Naruto nodded again and disappeared in a whirlwind. Tsunade sighed and sat down in one of the chairs in the hall. "I need sake," Her mutter made Jiraiya, who had been listening in this entire time, chuckle. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Good luck getting some of that into the office." Jiraiya commented before opening his eyes and stretching. Before Tsunade could protest on her becoming Hokage, he turned to the window and stood up. "I'm going on ahead of them. I want to confirm something before they arrive."

When Tsunade didn't say anything, Jiraiya chuckled. "Nice generation we have today. They have what we were lacking back then."

"And what would that be?"

Jiraiya looked at her over his shoulder. "The will to keep going, even when boundaries are drawn. And I'm not just talking about those two and their teammate. Everyone their age seems to think alike." He squared his shoulders, "I'm leaving. See you in the office later, Hime."

Before Tsunade could throw something at him, he disappeared. Tsunade sighed and leaned back, repeating what she had said earlier.

"I need sake."

_Konohagakure Front Gates….._

Naruto paced in front of the gates back and forth. By him, Kotetsu shifted in his seat inside the guard duty booth. Naruto dug inside one of the pockets in his Chunin vest and pulled out a scroll. He gripped it tightly before shaking his head and putting it back inside his pocket. _'Pein said we could only wear it whenever he told us to. But I haven't worn it since we met Gaara and Gaara doesn't have one, yet. Gah! It wouldn't even fit me anymore.'_

"Naruto," The blonde turned around, blinking when Team Seven, minus Kota, Team Eight, Team Ten, Shizune and a four-man team of Anbu stood in front of him. It was Sasuke who had spoken. "What's going on? We were told to meet at the Front Gates immediately; that there was an emergency and the one leading us would be here."

"And where's Sakura and Gaara? You three are always together." Amaya asked, raising her eyebrow when Naruto clenched his fists.

"Gaara's still in Suna and Sakura-chan's in the hospital." Naruto grounded out but then shook his head to get rid of his thoughts. "I'm your leader. I'll brief you the details but we don't have much time. I'll tell you while we're on the way." When he got sixteen nods, he took off and set a pace he knew was comfortable for the Jonin and Anbu but a little straining for the Genin and newly made Chunin.

Half an hour into the trip, Naruto decided it was time to talk. "Amegakure was attacked by an unknown source. They asked for help from Konoha and Suna. Sunagakure is a little closer than Konoha so they should be on their way there. We're being sent as backup."

"So, you don't know who attacked Ame?" Kiba asked and Akamaru yelped at them from his place in the brunette's hood. Naruto shook his head and jumped into the trees, the rest following his example.

"The message was written in a hurry. It only asked for Akatsuki and backup."

"Akatsuki? What's that?" Ino asked. Naruto glanced behind him at the Genin. He saw they all were staring at his back questioningly, except for Sasuke and Shino. Then again, he couldn't really tell what Shino had on his mind.

_'The guy gives me the creeps,'_

"It's a group in Amegakure. Our main objective is to maintain peace in the world and strengthen ties between nations. An example of this is to gather up Nukenin and try to convince other lands to drop the charges on them. It's worked so far with a few, like Deidara from Iwagakure and the three of us. We're working on Sasori of Sunagakure and Uchiha Itachi from Konoha."

"Have you had any failures?" Kakashi asked, quite intrigued with the prospect. Naruto tensed then relaxed.

"Momochi Zabuza and his partner Haku from Kirigakure are still under probation." Naruto said, getting a gasp and a thoughtful hum in return.

"That guy that attacked us in our mission to Nami? Are you crazy! The guy's dangerous." Amaya spoke up, glaring slightly at the blonde in front of them.

Naruto smirked. "That's one of the reasons why we like him. Besides, we've been friends with them for two years. It was bound to happen sooner or later. And you're welcome, by the way." Naruto sent his smirk at her, making her blush from embarrassment.

_'He's hot when he does that.'_ Amaya thought while looking away. She glanced at Ino and saw her blushing, as well. _'Nuh-uh. I have enough competition with Sakura being his girlfriend. I'm not having blondie over here fall for blondie over there.'_

Naruto snickered when he saw her reaction, along with Ino and Hinata's, and turned forward. His grin immediately fell from his face and it was replaced by a scowl. _'We need to go faster. But I don't want to tire the Genin out in case we run into the enemy.'_ With a low sigh, Naruto jumped from one branch to another.

_'I really wish any other Akatsuki member were here.'_

As if someone up there heard his wish, two familiar scents washed into the area. He grinned when he realized who they were. Kiba seemed to have smelled them, too, because he stopped at a branch and took out his kunai. His team followed his example and, soon, everyone stopped to take fighting stances.

"What the hell are you doing with a bunch of Konoha brats, Blondie?" A mocking voice was heard as Kisame landed right by Naruto. Itachi followed, landing on the blonde's other side. Immediately, the two Uchiha brothers made eye contact. Itachi turned to Naruto when he yelped.

Kisame had grabbed Naruto by his ankle and was holding him upside down. Naruto grunted and crossed his arms over his chest, looking away from the two.

"Let him go, Kisame. Naruto has some questions to answer." Itachi ordered with a sigh. Kisame chuckled and let Naruto go. The blonde yelped when he landed on his head. He sat up, glaring at the shark-like man. Kisame whistled innocently while looking somewhere else.

"What are you doing here, Sensei?" Naruto asked as he stood up and dusted himself off. He glanced at the Konoha ninja. They were still holding their stances and the Anbu seemed ready to knock Itachi's head off.

"I should be asking you the same thing, Naruto. You're supposed to be with Jiraiya-sama looking for Tsunade-sama." Itachi said a glare ready to manifest itself in his coal black eyes.

Naruto blinked and his eyes widened. He looked back at the Konoha bunch before resting his eyes on Itachi and Kisame. His eyes were hard and his shoulders were poised. The two older Akatsuki members tensed immediately at that look.

"I'll explain everything on the way but, right now, we need to get to Amegakure. We can't waste any more time." Naruto said while looking between the two. Kisame sent Itachi a questioning gaze. Itachi nodded slowly before turning to the group.

"Who is in charge here?"

"I am, Sensei." Naruto spoke up immediately after the question was asked. Itachi looked back at him and nodded again. Naruto looked at the Konoha Shinobi and jerked his head forward. Kisame and Itachi jumped off and Naruto followed. Sasuke was the first of the bunch to follow the three Akatsuki members and his comrades tailed him.

_Konohagakure Hospital….The Next Day_

"What do you mean Amegakure was attacked!" Sakura demanded while sitting up. She instantly regretted it as a surging pain shot through her lower abdomen. Moaning in pain, she grabbed her stomach.

Tsunade sighed in frustration and rubbed her temples. These brats were getting on her nerves. "Listen, Sakura, I sent Naruto and four other teams for backup-"

"I don't care about the damn backup! How was Ame attacked! Pein-sama has the best security in the land!" Sakura took a deep breath to calm down and think over this when Tsunade glared at her. "Do you at least know who did it?"

The blonde Sanin shook her head, "No idea."

Sakura leaned back in her position and let out a shaky breath. First, it was the news about her being unable to bear children and now this? Things were progressing up to a point where it was Hell on Earth and she didn't like it one bit.

"When did you send them?"

"Yesterday,"

"Have you gotten any news, yet?"

"No."

Sakura groaned, "Damn it all." She hit the back of her head with the headboard, frowning at the slight pain the action brought. "And I can't get out of here until I'm completely healed," It wasn't much of a question but rather a statement. At Tsunade's nod, Sakura sighed. "This bites. I hate being stuck in a hospital bed."

Tsunade sighed and stood up to pat her leg. "We all do, Sakura. Now get some rest. You'll need your strength if you're going back to Ame." The blonde left the room and Sakura leaned back in her bed.

_'I really hope everyone's fine. I wouldn't know what I'd do if something were to happen to any one of them.'_

_Amegakure….._

"What the hell happened here?" Kisame whispered as the group walked through the gates into the village.

Houses were destroyed, buildings were burnt to the ground and shops were barely hanging on in their structures. There was debris everywhere and the small fires lighting up in random places alarmed everyone. It looked as if a mayor massacre had just happened and no one survived. In fact, there seemed to be no one around.

Naruto looked around, his eyes wide in horror. However, what worried the three Akatsuki members more was the fact that it wasn't raining. Itachi maintained an impassive face but his chakra was spiking frantically.

"Naruto, Kisame, Sensei!" They turned to the voice and the blonde was relieved when Gaara, Sasori, Deidara and three other Suna teams, one Genin and the other two Anbu, came into view. Gaara ran over to Naruto and looked at the entire group. His cold eyes landed on the blond again. "Where's Sakura?"

"I'll explain later. Right now, I want to know just what the hell happened here." Naruto demanded, his eyes trailing over to the Suna groups before landing on Gaara.

"We don't know ourselves. We only just got here ten minutes ago through the West gates. We were looking for you guys." Gaara explained, only succeeding in making Naruto curse. "Naruto, it hasn't rained in hours." Gaara commented. That's when the blonde took in the state of the untouched grass. They looked ready to die.

"These herbs survive when water is being constantly fed to them. They don't smell burned so the enemy wasn't the one who put them in that state." Naruto considered then ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"What are we going to do?" Gaara asked, his eyes landing on Itachi.

The older Uchiha shook his head. "Naruto's in charge of this mission. Ask him." Naruto's eyes widened at those words and he turned to Itachi. "You're always depending on Sakura's intellect and commands. Not only you but Gaara, as well. It's time you two learned how to lead a squad. It's a Chunin's job."

"But there are Jonin here-"

"Naruto, I've been your sensei for almost eight years now. I know your strengths and weaknesses. I know you can do this. You've spent years planning and observing for your pranks to be successful. You know the village's layout more than Pein does. These guys are counting on you, survivors are counting on you. I have faith in you, Naruto. You can lead a village."

Naruto clenched his teeth as he turned away from everyone and wiped furiously at his eyes. It was the first time Itachi acknowledged him aloud. His dream had always been to have people acknowledge him, especially those important to him. Another of his dreams was to lead a village so that people could look up to him. He had been planning on being Pein's successor and leading Amegakure after Pein retired.

Now it was his turn to do both.

Gathering his conscience and thoughts again, Naruto turned to everyone. "All right, guys. We have work to do. Anbu and Shizune, I want you to go look for any enemies or battles still going on and assist Ame ninja. Team Eight and Suna Genin Team, you guys look for any survivors. Kiba and Akamaru's nose will come in handy here, along with Temari's Futon and Hinata's Byakugan. Team Seven and Team Ten, head for the bunkers at the South of the village. Akatsuki, let's find Pein and the rest of the members. Any survivors are to head over to the East entrance and gates."

Naruto made ten Kage Bunshin. He pointed at the first one. "You show Team Seven and Team Ten the way to the bunkers then look around for survivors."

"Hai!"

Naruto turned to the other nine. "Lock up all the gates and secure the perimeter around the village. Any intruding or upcoming ninja are to hand over their ID and wait for further instruction. Go!" The nine disappeared in whirlwinds. Naruto turned to everyone else. Kisame was smirking at him and Itachi gave an approving nod. Naruto smiled then turned serious. "Let's go, guys!"

Everyone set off to their assignments.

_Five Hours Later….._

Gaara grunted as he guided his sand to lift a heavy piece of cement off a pile of smaller pieces of debris. His eyes widened when he took in the form of his superior. He turned around to address his teammate.

"Naruto, I found Konan-nee-chan!" The blonde turned around and jumped over to him. Together, the two dragged her out onto safe ground.

"Nee-chan, can you hear me?" Naruto asked as he looked over her. She was still breathing, meaning she had a pulse. She was unconscious but alive. However, that huge gash in her right ribs was bothering him. Naruto stood up and made a Kage Bunshin, probably the two hundredth one he's made today, and instructed him to take Konan over to the East gates.

When the Bunshin was out of sight, Gaara turned to his brother-like figure. "If Nee-chan's around here, Pein has to be close by." Naruto nodded at his words and sniffed the air, trying to get a scent. All he could smell was debris, smoke and blood; a lot of blood, at that. Not just Konan's but Pein's, too. Naruto's eyes widened. He pointed to a certain pile of tubes and gas pipes.

Gaara swiftly guided his sand to get rid of all the pipes as they walked to the pile. When a stack of certain pipes was removed, the two held back a choked gasp. Pein was lying there, unconscious, with a spear through his stomach and a katana barely digging into his right shoulder blade.

Naruto wasted no time in creating a Bunshin and making it get Shizune. The two dragged Pein out of the piles while being careful with his injuries. Shizune had been close because she went over in less than five minutes. After checking his pulse and internal organs, she turned to the boys.

"I'm gonna' need your help." At their nods, she continued. "Pull the spear out of his stomach when I tell you to." Her hands glowed green and she let them hover over his wound. "Now!" The boys pulled out the spear and, in a second, Shizune was already stopping the flowing blood and sealing the wound.

They proceeded to repeat the process with the katana. Turns out, his wounds weren't serious and they missed fatal organs. He was only unconscious because of chakra exhaustion. Naruto and Gaara carried him over to the East entrance.

When they got there, their eyes widened at the sight. About three hundred civilians were awaiting orders at the gates along with probably a hundred or so Shinobi.

"What happened here?" Naruto muttered as he gazed at the Shinobi helping out the fallen. Most of the civilians were weeping or damning the situation. As the two Chunin approached the groups, they could hear a fight breaking out.

"Who is in charge! We want to know just what the hell happened here!" A civilian man, a young man Naruto recognized as the best baker in the village Ikeda Shiniji, demanded as he looked around. A circle of people had formed around him, where a Chunin was trying to calm him down.

Placing Pein in one of the stretchers that had been in the still-standing hospital, Naruto walked forward to the group after taking a deep breath to calm his nerves down. "I'm in charge, Ikeda-san." Naruto spoke while maintaining a calm look in his eyes. His tone was filled with authority instead of the playfulness and, at times, uncaring nature of his voice.

Shiniji took a step back, his eyes widening. "Naruto-sama," The man narrowed his golden brown eyes at the blonde. "Where's Sakura-sama? She's usually the one leading the drills with the civilians."

Naruto looked down but quickly met the older man's gaze. "Sakura-chan wasn't able to make it due to a serious injury to her organs." His voice came out strained and slightly angry but it didn't seem to affect Shiniji in any way. In fact, the older man only walked to him and placed his hand on his shoulder, offering his understanding.

"What happened to her?" A woman with her child in her arms asked. Naruto looked at her and noticed her expectant gaze. He took a quick glance around, his eyes widening slowly as realization finally hit him. These people were eagerly awaiting his orders. They were depending on him, on all of them. They trusted them completely, and the knowledge that one out of the 'special trio' was hurt unnerved them.

"She's fine. She's in Konoha right now. Sakura-chan couldn't make it because she needs time to recover." Naruto took another look around as the bolts in his head worked rapidly on making a plan. "Now, I want you all to listen carefully. For those who can't hear me, the ones who can will give you the orders." Naruto looked around, finding a pile of rubbish a few feet behind him. He stood on it and let out a loud whistle to get everyone's attention.

Once everyone was looking at him, he began speaking. "I haven't been here long, just approximately five hours and I'm not very well informed of the situation. However, the leadership was given to me. I'm going to ask you to pay very close attention to given orders because this is a major crisis. Now, I need for the women and children to come to my right and for men to come to my left."

As the lines and groups started moving, Naruto could feel himself smiling. They were acknowledging him. They were following _his_ orders. He blinked then asked an Anbu to supervise the progress while he went over to talk to the Konoha Shinobi and the rest of Akatsuki. They were all huddled up inside a tent while the Ame ninja organized the citizens.

"So?" Naruto asked as he approached them.

"It'll take a few days but we'll be in Konoha by the end of the week." Kakashi confirmed and the blonde let out a sigh of relief. "We'll also send a summoning to the Hokage. She'll send more Shinobi for guard duty."

Naruto nodded and sat down, not minding the fact that he would get even dirtier than he already was. With that thought in mind, he took a look around. The Shinobi around him were just as dirty, if not more, as he. They were all covered in dust and ashes.

"Sasuke," The Uchiha turned to Naruto, "Do you think these people could stay in the Uchiha clan estate? At least until we're exactly sure of what to do. Clearly, we can't stay here." Naruto reasoned but his hopes dropped when Sasuke shook his head.

"I haven't been in that place since, well, you know," Sasuke glanced at his older brother, who inwardly was a little surprised at the lack of anger and hatred in his eyes. "I don't have the keys to the estate; the Goikenban does."

"Damn. Where are all these people going to stay, then? We have to do something." Gaara said as finally his indifferent mask broke. Everyone could see just how tired and affected he was by this. Naruto let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged. He ran a hand through his dirty hair as his eyes trailed to the groups of civilians outside.

Asuma nudged Kakashi and they took a few steps back to whisper between each other.

"Kakashi, they're thirteen year olds. They shouldn't be leading this. Maybe we should take command." Asuma sympathized while glancing at the two Jinchuuriki.

"No. I may not know Itachi very well and he may not be on my favourites list but I know enough to notice that he's putting them through a test. Besides, we're Konoha Shinobi. We've no business in this. We're just here for backup." Kakashi gave Naruto a proud look. "Right now, all we can do is guide them in the right direction and help. I'm sure they'll do fine."

Asuma looked at Kakashi then at the kids before sighing and nodding. They walked back to the group, only to find Naruto and Gaara smiling at the girls.

"Really, Hinata, Amaya? You guys would do that?" Naruto asked his disbelief and hope evident in his tone.

The two aforementioned girls blushed at his smile and nodded. "Yeah. I have a few free residences. I'm sure Tou-san and Kaa-san won't mind if it's temporary." Amaya said with a smile of her own. She noticed Ino grunt and turn away slightly, only succeeding in making her smile widen.

Hinata nodded her agreement and the two boys beamed at them. "We could so kiss you right now," Naruto commented as he stood up. Amaya tensed, thinking he was going to do as he said. She started leaning forward as he leaned towards her. She closed her eyes slowly as her heart beat increased in speed. "Oops, excuse me, Amaya." Naruto chuckled as he placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned over her to get a scroll from behind her.

Amaya stared at him as he pulled away and sat down on his previous spot. She crossed her arms and turned away, a pout forming on her lips. She heard a giggle and instantly knew Ino had seen the intentions.

Naruto ignored the two and gave the scroll to Kakashi. "Send a letter to Tsunade-obaa-chan. Tell her everything we've discussed so far and to get the Uchiha Estate keys."

"Naruto, I already told you-"

Naruto turned to Sasuke, interrupting him. "I know, Teme, but it's worth a try. It's Okay with you, right?" The blonde asked after a brief pause. He didn't want to do something against the Uchiha's will. It will only stress him even more and the blonde was already at his limit in not only tolerance and patience, but chakra, as well. You try making hundreds of Kage Bunshin in only just five hours and still walk around giving orders to hundreds of people.

It's fucking tiring.

Sasuke nodded and leaned back against a rock. Naruto gave him a tired smile before looking back up at Kakashi. "Also tell her to negotiate with Hinata and Amaya's parents about the free residences. I know they offered but I don't want any future problems." Kakashi nodded and sat down to begin writing the message.

"Okay, I have a question." Gaara intervened before anyone left or decided to discuss something else. "There are injured people and little kids who clearly need to rest. How are we going to carry them and the supplies in the bunkers?"

"I might be able to help," An Anbu walked into the tent. He took off his mask, and smiled at Naruto and Gaara. "My element affinity is _**Mokuton**_. I could build carriages without a sweat."

Naruto beamed at him. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Thanks…uh…"

"Call me Tenzou."

"Thanks, Tenzou. Can you make at least a hundred?"

"It'll take a while but sure. Any particular design in mind?"

Naruto leaned forward on his knees to think. He shook his head. "Just one that would carry at least five people. We have injured villagers and Shinobi, too, along with small children. We need as much space as possible for supplies as well."

Tenzou nodded and was about to walk out when Asuma placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll help. Fill me in on any other details later." He nodded at Kurenai and walked out with the Anbu captain.

"Okay, that's pretty much it." Naruto said as he stood up. He stretched, and the girls flinched when his back and joints cracked loudly. "Let's go help out with the supplies. We need to leave as soon as possible before other villages get word of this and decide to attack or something."

_Konohagakure…Two Days Later_

Sakura walked into the Haruno clan estate and immediately froze at the stares she received. She took a deep breath and resumed her trek to her father's house, ignoring the questioning gazes and the slight glares. _'I forgot how unnerving this was.'_ She thought as she stopped in front of the main residence of the estate.

Sakura reached up and knocked twice before taking a glance around. Nothing much had changed over the years. The houses were still the same as well as some of the clothing style the clan members used.

The door opening grabbed her attention and she turned back to it to find Hitomi standing there. The younger girl quickly flashed a smile and Sakura couldn't help the smile that etched onto her face, as well.

"Hey, kid, mind if I come in? I have to talk to your father." Sakura said, jerking her head inside. Hitomi smiled again and nodded, stepping aside to let her in. Sakura stepped inside and looked around. _'Everything's still the same around here, too.'_

"Tou-san's in his study. You should knock first; he gets angry if we don't." Hitomi said pointing upstairs. Sakura ruffled her hair while settling her gaze on the stairs. "Nee-chan isn't he your dad, too?"

"Genetically, yes, he's my father."

"Gene-…what?" Hitomi tilted her head to the side in a cute way. Sakura looked back down at her and chuckled, dishevelling her hair again.

"Forget it. I just don't have a very good bond with him, that's all. I'll be back in a bit and we'll go out for a walk, all right?"

"I'm not allowed to leave the estate without Tou-san or Kaa-san."

Sakura grunted and rolled her eyes, kneeling down to her level. She grimaced for a second before noticing the worried look on her sister's face. She smiled at her and poked her belly. "I'm your Nee-chan. We're going out for a walk whether you like it or not. Maybe we'll catch lunch, too, but that's up to you." She stood up again, using the small table by the couch for support.

"Nee-chan, are you okay?" Hitomi asked, her eyes trailing over to the way Sakura held her lower stomach in pain. Sakura shook her head slightly and ruffled her hair again.

"Don't worry about it. I'll be right down, okay?" Sakura smiled at her once more before making her way up the stairs, a frown overtaking her face as pain shot up her abdomen every time she lifted her right leg to take a step upwards. When she reached the top and walked down the hall, she started hearing her parents' voices.

They were arguing about something.

Sakura knocked on the open door twice with her knuckles, grabbing their attention. Keiko instantly smiled and Haiiro glared. Sakura leaned against the doorframe, holding her abdomen. "I'm not here to fight." She was staring at her father, who only glared more.

Keiko noticed the way Sakura was holding her stomach and immediately knew something was wrong. "Sakura, are you okay-"

"I need your help," Sakura interrupted, not breaking her father's gaze. The adults' eyes widened at the statement. Keiko was the first one to recover and she instantly began to fuss about it, asking if it had anything to do with her stomach. "No, Keiko, it's not about my stomach injury. By the way, you should be happy," Her eyes landed on the redhead again, "I'm suffering because I can't have children anymore. I can't have a future family."

Before her mother could ask about it and make her suffer even more on the subject, Sakura continued with the real reason why she was there. "Anyway, I'm here because I got news yesterday that Amegakure got attacked."

"Attacked by whom?" Keiko asked, her eyes widening and temporarily forgetting about Sakura's sudden confession. Sakura looked at her and shook her head in the negative.

"We have no idea. The only one who might have a clue is our leader but he's hurt and unconscious. Anyway, there are approximately three hundred and sixteen villagers and about a hundred and seventy-three Shinobi alive. More than half of the population was wiped out and the village itself is in ruins. Suna and Konoha have sent backup, however, Sunagakure is still on trial for the coup d'état. Konoha has no choice but to help in the matter. You are, after all, in debt to us."

Haiiro remained quiet, absorbing the information like a sponge. "What does that have to do with me helping you?"

Sakura smirked but didn't dare move. The pain was still there, after all. "Uchiha Sasuke has offered his assistance. He donated his clan's estate for the survivors. However, we're still short out of space. Hyuga Hinata has offered the free households in her clan's estate and Hyuga Hiashi agreed. Other clans are still thinking over offering their living space. I came personally to ask for your cooperation."

Haiiro frowned, ready to decline when Sakura, having foreshadowed his intentions, slammed her hand against the door, succeeding in making the entire house rattle slightly. "Damn it, Tou-san, for once put your pride at stake and help! These people are homeless now! Put your hatred for me aside to help as I did in the Chunin Exams! Forget about me; forget about what I've done to you! Just help these people out! If not for me, do it for the alliance between Konoha and Ame, and the people that have suffered this faith!"

Sakura lowered her head, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. She hadn't cried when she found out about her injury. She hadn't cried when she found out about Amegakure being attacked. But now that she's actually spoken about her thoughts and feelings, she feels like she has to cry. The back of her throat burned and her shoulders were shaking. The back of her eyes stung with unshed tears and her heart clenched in a series of strong emotions.

"Just think that maybe it could've been you asking us for help if we hadn't found out about Orochimaru's plans early." Her voice came out strained, "Just think that maybe Amaya could've died if we all hadn't been ready. Just do something right for once!"

Haiiro stood up, slamming his hands down on his desks. "Don't talk about Amaya like she was trash! She's not weak-"

"Then listen to her!" The damn finally broke and tears started falling down her cheeks. Sakura choked back on a sob and gripped the doorframe tighter. "She was the one who offered the free spaces. She cares, too. Don't do it for me. Do it for the children, for those who are fucked up because some bastard decided it was a good pass time to destroy and bring a village to its knees! This is the only favour I'll ask of you!"

During the entire speech, she hadn't lifted her head. When she did, her pupils were slit and the colour of her eyes had changed from that beautiful emerald green to a raging blue fire shade. The tears and emotion only made those eyes glow even more than usual. Long, thick fangs were sprouting from under her lips. One inch claws had grown on hands and made dents on the wood of the doorframe.

"Tou-san," The tiny, scared voice startled everyone in the room. Sakura moved aside to give her parents a clear view of Hitomi crying behind her. Sakura quickly wiped at her eyes and tried to stop her tears.

Haiiro looked away, a scowl forming on his face. "Leave the room, Hitomi, this is a matter of adults." Hitomi bit her lower lip when Sakura sent him a glare. She clenched her fists and shut her eyes tight.

"_Why_ do you two _always_ have to_ fight_!"

Hitomi turned away and ran downstairs. Keiko made to go after her but Sakura stopped her. "I'll go talk to her. She needs to know the truth, anyway." Sakura turned to Haiiro. "Just think about it. They'll be here by tomorrow noon." Sakura wiped her eyes and cheeks, and let her demonic chakra diminish. "Don't let Amaya down, Haiiro."

With that said Sakura left the room and walked downstairs.

_(A/N: Reason as to why Naruto didn't exactly react to the news of Sakura's problem was because, well, he didn't really have time to react. Sakura finally cries after years of all the bottled-up emotions and Gaara seems to get along well with his siblings. There's nothing much to say here so thanks for reading, guys.)_

_**Glossary: **___

_**Mokuton- Wood Style takes the form of wood attacks and defences. The usage of this elemental style is a hidden technique unique to Shodaime Hokage and others who possess his same exact genes. Mokuton is formed through the simultaneous usage of Water and Earth styles.**_


	10. Feelings

_Naruto's Mindscape…_

"Why'd you bring me here, you oversized furball?" Naruto asked, and then added with a sigh, "I'm tired. Let me sleep. I need to recuperate my chakra."

Kyuubi scoffed, rolling his eyes then smirking. **"Borrow my chakra. You won't be tired anymore."**

Naruto glared at him, "Nice try, flea attracting chakra ball. I'm not messing with your chakra in this state, much less when there are hundreds of villagers and Shinobi around." The blonde sat down in the ankle-deep water, not minding the tingle that ran up his spine at the cool temperature.

Kyuubi sighed and closed his eyes for a second before opening them again. Naruto's own eyes widened when he looked up at the demon. The fox looked aged, as if tired and completely miserable. The usually vibrant red in his eyes had become dull. They seemed as if they were dragging themselves as they narrowed down on the boy.

**"Look, kit, I didn't drag you in here to argue or have a friendly chat. I'm here to sympathise, if you would call it that."**

_'Sympathise? What's he…? Oh,'_ Naruto lowered his gaze when he realized what the Kyuubi meant. He clenched his fists under the water, gritting his teeth. "What about it?" His voice came out strained. Kyuubi chuckled good-heartedly, something that shocked Naruto to no end. _'The hell? Is the ball of fleas high or something?'_

**"You're not the only one who lost a family, you moronic hairless ape!"** Kyuubi suddenly snapped, making Naruto flinch. However, the blonde backtracked and his eyes widened. Seeing the youngster's shock, the fox sighed. **"What your mate's grandfather told you is correct. I have my own clan, along with every other Bijuu out there. You weren't the only one wanting a cub, kit."**

Naruto frowned, instantly knowing why Kyuubi hated him so much. Because of him, he couldn't be with his family. "So, I took you away from your family. I'm sorry-"

**"Don't apologize to me, brat. I don't need your apprehensions. In another case, it wasn't you who took me away from my family. It was your clan members."**

"My clan members did? How?"

Kyuubi sighed, the air making Naruto's hair shift slightly. **"About a hundred years or so ago, the Kitsune clan was forced to surrender power over their territory. We were forced to become Kuchiyose for you filthy humans. Because I'm a Bijuu, I was sealed inside a human. That human was the Shodaime Hokage's wife. She was my first Jinchuuriki. Your mother came in after when Uzu no Kuni had been annihilated. You know the rest of the story. Your parents met and were attacked while they brought you into this world and I was sealed inside of you."**

Naruto took everything in. He knew his mother had been Kyuubi's previous Jinchuuriki -Kyuubi had made sure to tell him everything that happened the night he was born- but he hadn't known about the Shodaime's wife being the beast's first. "Okay, I get it. They took you away from your family. It doesn't explain why I'm here or why you're telling me this."

**"I had impregnated my mate. She had been carrying my cub when I was taken away. You aren't the only one who's suffered through a fate such as losing your child."**

Naruto looked down, heaving a sigh. He ran his wet hands through his hair then pulled the strands of hair. He looked up to see the fox sitting up, looking at his front paws in agony with his ears low on his head. Naruto suddenly stood up and gripped the bars in front of him tightly. "Fox, let's make a deal."

Kyuubi snapped out of his agonizing state and scoffed. **"Why would I want to make a deal with you puny brat?"**

Naruto growled and red chakra immediately began to wrap around his forearms and dance around his back. "This could benefit both of us, fleabag. Just listen."

**"Don't order me around!" **Kyuubi demanded, slamming his paws onto the gates. The gates rattled but Naruto kept gripping them tightly. Red chakra started surrounding the boy quickly and, when he saw that the blonde wasn't making a move to withdraw from his position, Kyuubi slowly sat back down. **"I'm listening,"**

Naruto sent him a smirk. "You are going to help me find something that will cure Sakura-chan so she could have kids again."

**"I'm not going to work for your desires, human."**

"And in return, I'll find the Kitsune Kuchiyose, and unite you with your mate and cub again."

That shut Kyuubi up immediately. Naruto's smirk widened when the fox started grumbling to himself behind the gates. The red chakra quickly withdrew into the cage and Kyuubi sighed.

**"I agree to the arrangement. For once, you're not being so useless."** Naruto frowned at the insult then sat down.

"Gee, thanks." The blonde muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes upwards. Naruto leaned his head on the bars. "Your chakra heals me ten times faster than normal. Can't you use that on Sakura-chan?"

**"No. My chakra can automatically heal you because our chakras are mixing together over time. Your mate's and mine are completely foreign to each other. If anything, it will hurt her even more. Don't you dare attempt anything, kit."**

Naruto clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He leaned back on his palms, glancing up at the beast in question. Kyuubi closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose, the air ruffling Naruto's hair.

**"Senju Tsunade knows a jutsu that will recreate any organs and tissue in the body-"**

"That's great, then! Thanks, Kyuubi, you don't know how much I owe you for this-" Naruto started to get up until Kyuubi slammed a paw on the gate. Naruto lost his balance at the sudden rattle of the ground and fell back on his ass. He glared up at the fox. "What the hell was that for, fox!"

Kyuubi growled, **"You didn't let me finish, you insolent brat! The technique has few side-effects. First, it takes a massive amount of time and patience to master it. Second, it shortens one's lifespan. I'm not so sure on the other details but this **_**Souzou Saisei **_**Ninjutsu Tsunade knows is dangerous. I'm warning you, kit. Ask her the details after you wake if you want to go through with it."**

Naruto thought over the two side-effects then punched the gates. "Damn it all!" He gripped the bars and pressed his forehead against them, the urge to scream getting lodged in his throat. "Why do shit always happen to us?"

Kyuubi slammed one of his tails on the bars. **"Go pity yourself somewhere else! Your worthless emotions are enough of a headache. I don't need you screaming your agony in here."** Naruto glared up at him but Kyuubi only turned his head away. **"Now, leave."**

Naruto scoffed and was quickly pushed out of his mindscape. Once sure the blonde Shinobi was out, Kyuubi ran a paw down his snout. _**'Baka, why'd you agree to this?'**_ A distant memory of his clan and family made its way onto the front of the fox's mind. _**'Yes, that's why. The brat knows what's good for him. Anyway, I won't need to do anything about his mate. Once she gets a hold of the Ryu Kuchiyose, Sakura will be fine. Ryu are excellent healers, after all.'**_

_Konohagakure Hospital (Sakura's Room)….._

"Why am I here again?" Sakura asked as Tsunade checked her vitals and heart rate. She was lying down on the bed, facing the window. There was a ruckus going on outside. The Ame caravan had gotten here about an hour ago and preparations for their stay are still being organized. "And shouldn't you be out there, checking everything?"

Tsunade withdrew her hands from above the girl's abdomen and wrote a few details down on the clipboard at the end of the bed. "I haven't agreed to the position of Hokage, yet. Besides, I promised that boyfriend of yours I'd take care of you."

Sakura smirked, glancing up at her. "Since when do you take your promises seriously?" Tsunade only glared back but Sakura wasn't in the mood for an argument. She wanted answers. Sakura turned away, settling for just looking at the tree outside of the window. "Do you have any idea what happened to my chakra?"

Tsunade looked at the girl's eyes, frowning when she took notice of the fact that the blue ring that had surrounded the pupil when she had met the girl was now a light orange colour. She remembered when Genma had run into the hospital the day before, carrying a bleeding Sakura in his arms.

_- Flashback -_

_"What happened? I specifically told her not to stress herself." Tsunade said as she walked out of the room Sakura was being checked in. Genma stood up from the chairs in the hall and followed the blonde woman into her temporary office._

_"I went to the Haruno residence to give Keiko my monthly payment. I found her arguing with Haiiro. In the midst of it all, I found out that Sakura had been mortally injured. I then started arguing with Haiiro, and I accidentally let out a secret. Sakura heard it and she blew. She hurt herself while releasing a huge amount of chakra."_

_Tsunade nodded, enlacing her fingers together to lean on the desk. "And what is this secret Sakura found out?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Genma bit on his senbon, deciding to look elsewhere. Tsunade watched him as he shifted nervously in his spot. "Genma…" Tsunade muttered slowly, warning him of punishment if he didn't tell her soon._

_Genma swallowed, and bit down harder on his senbon. "Do you remember Keiko's twin sister, Haruno Reiko?"_

_"Yes, she was one of Konoha's best Genjutsu mistresses. Unfortunately, she died in the Kyuubi attack." Tsunade nodded curtly._

_Genma frowned and nodded back, placing his hands in his pockets. "Uh-huh, so she's Sakura's real mother."_

_The blonde leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes penetrated through Genma as she went over the new information in her head. "So, that means Keiko is Sakura's aunt. Did Haiiro commit adultery with Reiko while being with Keiko?"_

_Genma shook his head, "No, Haiiro is Sakura's uncle."_

_"Then, who is her real father?"_

_The brunette Tokubetsu Jonin took in a deep breath then met Tsunade's eyes._

_"I am, Tsunade-sama."_

_- End Flashback -_

Tsunade snapped out of her thoughts when Sakura called her name. The blonde looked down at the younger girl, and then remembered the question. She shook her head, "The tests we took said several things. It seems you had a second chakra network besides your own. When you found out the truth about your parents," Tsunade saw Sakura clench her fists, "You blew, and that second chakra network was activated. Your chakra is merging with the chakra from that foreign network at this point. So far, the merging hasn't done anything drastic with your outer physique other than the change in colour of your eyes."

Sakura looked down at her hands, asking, "What about my inner physique? Is there any further damage or any damage at all?" She looked up at the older woman, her right hand grazing her abdomen slightly in indication to the topic she was touching.

Tsunade placed her hand over the girl's chest, and focused chakra to it. "That's what I'm here for, kid." Blue chakra started surrounding her hand. Slowly, she scanned Sakura's body, starting with the head down to her stomach and legs. However, as soon as she reached Sakura's abdomen, she froze, her eyes widening a fraction.

_'No, it can't be. It's impossible.'_

She focused even more chakra to get a more detailed diagram of the organ she was checking. She saw Sakura's ovaries reconstructing themselves. The new chakra was helping the dead cells regenerate. It was repairing the damage the poison had caused, something not even Tsunade herself could do.

"Tsunade-sama…?" Sakura broke the eerie silence. Her voice hinted the alarm that clearly showed in her eyes. Hey body tensed, and Tsunade immediately pulled her hand away.

The blonde woman turned her back to Sakura, who sat up quickly, and started grumbling to herself. _'Her ovaries are healing and rearranging themselves. How could that be possible? Unless she's a very skilled kunoichi in the healing arts but I doubt that. She's too young, and Ame doesn't have many medical resources. Her chakra is different, too. Is it possible that the foreign chakra merged with her original one overnight? That's highly unlikely. Then again,'_ Tsunade stole a glance at the girl, _'She survived the poison. Any other person could've died with the poison in their bodies for over twelve hours. She's lucky I was there,'_

Tsunade took a deep breath and turned to Sakura. "Listen, Sakura, I need to run some tests. I need to make sure what I saw was right."

Sakura frowned, her hand unconsciously lowering to her stomach. "Why? What's wrong?"

Tsunade took a deep breath and walked to the door, grasping the doorknob. She paused, "Nothing is wrong. That's what I'm afraid of." She walked out of the room, leaving a confused kunoichi behind.

_Next Day…..Meeting Room_

"What are we going to do with the villagers? It's obvious we can't stay here. Ame is its own country. We can't stay with Konoha," Naruto reasoned with a frown. _'It's more like I don't want to stay here. The civilians still hate me,'_

He, along with the rest of Akatsuki, was sitting in a meeting room in the Hokage's Tower with Tsunade and Shizune. They were seated around an oval table, providing room for everyone to sit comfortable. Shizune stood by Tsunade's side with TonTon in her arms.

"It is also recognizable that we cannot go back to Amegakure. It would only encourage whoever attacked us to do it once more." Sasori mentioned with a shake of head. He had discarded his puppet, Hiroku, and had decided to show his true identity outside of Akatsuki. He had his robe on, however, so no one knew of his skill as a puppet master.

Itachi leaned back and looked over at the rest of the group. His eyes landed on Sakura, who was reading some of the reports Akatsuki had turned in. She was leaning back in her chair and her shirt had rode up when she had moved earlier, exposing some of the bandages she had around her stomach.

He hated himself. He hated himself for not being with her when she was poisoned. He hated that it was the second time she had been mortally wounded, and he hadn't been there any of the times to help her. It was his duty as her sensei to watch over her. He had failed her _twice_. He was an S-ranked ninja, and he let his student get injured _twice_. What's worst was that this time it's completely permanent.

Itachi knew of Naruto and Sakura's future goals. They had wanted a family. Naruto had been bragging about it ever since they all learned how babies were made when Sakura's first period hit. It was disastrous. He was just glad Konan had been there or the boys would've gone insane. But never mind that. After the years, Sakura learned to accept the fact that she _did_ have feelings for Naruto, and he knew they were already planning for a future family.

But now it's all ruined. He can't imagine how the two were feeling about it. Hell, it showed just how strong they had become by how they were acting. They hadn't have time to sit down and talk properly because of the recent attack on Ame but it was clear in their eyes the suffering they were going through. Even Gaara seemed affected by the sudden loss.

And all because of that damned mission to-…..

_Wait a fucking minute._

Of course! Why hadn't he thought of it before! He was supposed to be the Uchiha's genius! The hell's wrong with him?

"That's it." Itachi spoke up, breaking up the argument that had started between Sasori and Deidara about whatever they were talking about that was 'art' related. "Kisame," The shark-liked Nukenin turned to him, "Do you remember where we went last month? Where we got the Kuchiyose scroll from?"

Kisame blinked, and from the corner of his eye, Itachi saw Naruto perk up at the mention of a Kuchiyose scroll. Pein answered for the Uchiha's partner. "I sent you two to Uzu no Kuni to get the Kitsune Kuchiyose. Why bring the mission up at this time, Itachi?"

The oldest Uchiha alive leaned forward in his chair. "Uzu no Kuni is completely abandoned save for the wild animals. It has been that way ever since the invasion on _**Uzushiogakure no Sato**_."

"Wait," Naruto stood up, gaining everyone's attention. "Isn't that where Kaa-chan was from? Uzushiogakure was home to the Uzumaki clan, right?"

Pein sighed. "Yes, Naruto, Uzumaki Kushina is from Uzu no Kuni. Now, Itachi, what were you saying?" Pein looked back at Itachi, ignoring Naruto's huff as he plopped back down in his seat.

Itachi nodded, "Yes, sir. Uzu no Kuni was closest to Konoha alliance and friendship wise. Konoha allied with Uzushio after it was attacked, and the land was abandoned. Konoha should have all of its papers sealed away securely. Maybe we could make Uzushio our home. I know Naruto would agree in an instant."

"What makes you think Uzushio won't be attacked like it was before? Ame was attacked for a reason, and there's no doubt that these people could do it again if it had been so easy for them." Zabuza asked while leaning back and crossing his arms. His Akatsuki robe ruffled with his movement, and Tsunade wondered just how he had made the group.

Then again, Itachi was in it, and _he_ killed his entire clan.

"Uzu no Kuni is in the ocean. It would take at least five hours, by boat, to get there. Besides, Akatsuki is made up of S-rank ninja, _and_ we have a seal master in the making. Add in another powerful Jinchuuriki who could hold his ground alone, and an amazing Genjutsu mistress with high potential. We can plan traps and attack routes for whoever is going to enter Uzu no Kuni. We'd have double the security because then there would be people on land and water. Include your own security, Pein-sama, and Uzu no Kuni has the best safety in all of the nations." Itachi suggested, suddenly motivated.

Naruto, Gaara and Sakura blinked at him. Maybe he himself didn't notice but they did. Itachi had just called them amazing. That was rare, and they were completely shocked to see him compliment them in public, nonetheless in front of the newly appointed Hokage and her assistant. Not to mention Jiraiya but the pervert was outside the room listening in, so he didn't really count.

Pein narrowed his eyes down on the dark haired teen then sighed. He was getting a headache, and he just woke up from his hospital bed. "Very well. Seeing as this is the only solution we've thought of for the past hour, we'll rely on this. Tsunade-sama," The new Hokage turned to him, "Could you check the Uzu no Kuni papers? I am certain Konoha has the landmarks and legal papers."

Tsunade nodded, and sent Shizune to search for them.

Pein looked over the rest of Akatsuki. "In the meantime, Akatsuki will check the land for any occupants or other possibilities that could hinder our progress as a new nation. As soon as Sakura is able to travel safely, you will leave."

"I'm fine," Sakura began to protest only to be silenced by Pein's upheld hand. She turned away, a growl escaping her lips. Pein narrowed his eyes at her, understanding her hatred of being weak, and turned to Tsunade for the overview.

Tsunade leaned forward and rubbed her temples. "Yesterday, I was going over her hourly check-up when something came to my attention. During the previous incident with her family," Tsunade paused then realized she had already explained the incident between Genma and Sakura, "Haruno Sakura activated a second chakra network, which apparently had been very well hidden. This new chakra had been merging with her original chakra overnight in an alarming rate but it had gone unnoticed until my check-up. This merged has now caused what most Jinchuuriki are infamous for."

The room became quiet at the mention of Jinchuuriki. Naruto and Gaara tensed, their eyes landing on Sakura, who looked just as confused as the rest of them.

Tsunade glanced around the room then sighed. "Sakura now has accelerated healing, like Naruto and I assume Gaara. We've done some tests on her, and discovered that she's immune to poison and certain types of paralysis. However, the most impressive aspect is that the merged chakra heals cells, even after they die. That poison incident has left no scar at all. Her ovaries are safe."

Sakura blinked, and her breathing suddenly became erratic. "W-What did you just say?"

"You can have kids again, Sakura. Your new merged chakra has healed all of the damage the poison had done to your ovaries." Tsunade explained, watching as the girl blinked several times before leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes.

Sakura reached up, running both of her hands through her hair then pulling at her bangs. "Damn it, damn it all!" She stood up suddenly, throwing her chair back. She excused herself and left the room.

"I'm going after her," Naruto stood up, followed by Gaara.

"Me, too,"

"Sorry, Gaara, but this has to be settled just between us two." Naruto gazed over at his younger brother apologetically then left the room. Gaara clicked his teeth with his tongue and sat back down. He frowned, and crossed his arms over his chest.

Shizune came back in quickly with the necessary papers, and things got back into motion. Itachi couldn't help the small tear that had run down his cheek momentarily.

_'I'm glad she's fine.'_

_Hokage Kaoiwa…_

Sakura clenched and unclenched her fists as she looked over the village. Her teeth were grinding against each other forcefully, making her gums go white. She narrowed her eyes at the way villagers chatted with each other happily, oblivious to her pain.

_'Selfish bastards. I hate them all,'_

"Sakura-chan," Naruto spoke up from behind her, interrupting her thoughts. She looked over her shoulder at him, her glare softening to a gentle gaze. She turned back to the village, ignoring the way his arms were wrapped loosely around her waist.

"I hate them," Sakura said, her eyes starting to sting once she had decided to voice her thoughts. Naruto stayed silent, settling for just listening to her and watching civilians walk around aimlessly. "I hate them because they have such a perfect life. Their major problem could only be going bankrupt, and even then they can live happy. We have to wake up every day, wondering if we're going to survive the rest of the week."

"Sakura…" Naruto muttered, holding her tighter.

Her voice broke and her throat burned but she kept talking. "They could easily have children while we can't even show our emotions during battle. We need to become cold, heartless bastards at the moment we kill someone just for their sake. And what do they give us? They ignore us, beat us down, or are scared shitless of us. I'm tired, Naruto. I'm tired of everything. I just want to lie down and rest because I'm shattered emotionally."

Sakura turned in his embrace and buried her head in the crook of his neck. Naruto placed a hand on the back of her head and he lowered them onto the dirt. Sakura sat on his lap and grabbed a handful of his jacket.

Soon enough he felt his clothes getting wet and the noise of the bustling city reducing.

It was raining.

He heard Sakura's sobs over the rain and shut his eyes tightly. His hold on her tightened, and he could feel himself shaking with held back emotion. His throat burned, and soon enough he was sobbing with her. _'Fuck…Fuck! Why us? Why is it always us? What did we ever do to deserve this? We're just kids, damn it! Why us!'_ Naruto buried his face in her now wet hair, gripping the fabric of the back of her shirt.

"I don't understand," Sakura kept saying, and Naruto paid full attention to her words. "I don't understand how we're always being put through tough scenarios and we manage to still be sane. I just hate this. I hate shouldering others' situations when we're so goddamn young. I can't take this anymore."

Sakura pressed herself closer to him. Naruto, if possible, brought her closer. He didn't know if he was crying or not as the rain ran down his face but he heard his own sobs escape his throat. All he knew was that they both needed to let everything out. They had been holding back for so long, trying to be strong for others when they themselves were breaking inside.

He knew they were being selfish but they were allowed to be every once in a while. They weren't perfect, and they weren't trying to be. It was killing them, though. The pain that pulled at the strings of their hearts was killing them; slowly but surely.

A hand was placed on each of their shoulders, and Naruto looked up to see the rest of Akatsuki standing there, wearing their robes proudly and smiling down at them. Itachi was squeezing their shoulders with a small smile on his face.

"You two aren't alone anymore. You don't have to bear the pain alone." He told them, and by this time Sakura had looked up, too. He knelt down to their sitting height and embraced them, something that shocked them both.

Sakura couldn't take it and buried her head in in the older teen's chest, one arm wrapping around him. Naruto followed suit, hiding his face in his sensei's shoulder. Itachi's smile saddened and his grip around them tightened, making them hold onto him as if life depended on it.

Gaara blinked away at the stinging sensation behind his eyes as he clenched his hands. _'I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry.'_ He kept repeating this around his head like a mantra, until heard Sakura starting to sob again. _'Oh, fuck it.'_ He walked to them, and threw his arms around Itachi and Sakura, one of his hands squeezing Naruto's shoulder. His tears started mixing in with the rain, as well.

"Yay! Group hug!" Deidara squealed, and all members present turned to him with a crazed look. He stopped grinning then cleared his throat. "Oh, yeah. That's for kids like you guys." The sixteen year old said, his voice taking on a deeper tone to sound manly.

Naruto chuckled and waved him over. Deidara smiled and walked over to them, sharing in the love. The rest of the members looked at each before joining the 'group hug'.

Naruto lifted his head, and his gaze met Sakura's.

Fuck being alone.

_This was family._

_(A/N: I don't have much to day on this one. Just glad you read it. On with the Glossary:_

_**Souzou Saisei- Creation Rebirth is a Ninjutsu technique developed by the Sannin Tsunade. It is said this technique will prevent Tsunade's falling in battle. Over time Tsunade will concentrate chakra to a spot on her forehead that takes the form of a diamond. When she releases the seal on the jutsu, the chakra disperses and stimulates the proteins of her body to increase the speed of cell division and reconstruction of cells. This allows her to recreate all organs and tissues. The technique itself does not regenerate the old cells; rather it hastens the creation of new ones through division. Unfortunately a body's cells can only split a certain number of times in a lifetime. By speeding up this process Tsunade is shortening her life. She may not die in battle, but she can die by speeding up its natural lifespan. Another potential side effect of this technique is her body losing its youthful form. After using this jutsu in battle, the effects will show as her body regains its natural older form. It is only after rest that she can cause her body to regain its false youth.**_

_**Uzushiogakure no Sato- Village Hidden in the Whirling Tides**_

_Thanks for reading, 7th Creature.)_


	11. Goodbye

_Uzu no Kuni- Three Months Later…._

"We're done!" A lone civilian (or was he a Shinobi?) shouted, receiving hundreds of claps, hollers and whistles. Uproar formed after that single holler. Civilians and Shinobi alike gave each other pats on the backs while women hugged and cheered. Those few children that were present laughed and cheered, bringing a smile to the adults around them. Many were crying tears of happiness while others smiled at their feat.

A sole group of Shinobi stood in silence, staring at the district that was just finished constructing. It may not seem like much but it was a huge achievement considering their numbers. Most of these members had smiles on their faces as they watched their people cheer and celebrate. Naruto grinned at their happiness, turning to Gaara when the younger of the two nudged him. Gaara was looking around, a small smile etched onto his face.

"I can't wait until they get back and see this."

Gaara's words brought Naruto's grin down to a small smile. He hung his head, thinking over his younger brother's words. Yeah, they couldn't wait until the rest of Akatsuki gets here. Sakura, Konan, Itachi, and Zabuza were representing them in Sunagakure, Kirigakure and Konohagakure. They've been gone for two months now. The only communication was whenever Konan would report back to Pein. No letters from them, no message with other Shinobi to let them know how they're holding up. There was little to no communication at all.

And Naruto was worried. Sure, they were strong and they could take care of themselves. However, with Orochimaru on the loose, and those guys who had attacked Konoha and poisoned Sakura were very well hidden. They could be attacked at any given moment. Naruto saw Sakura near Death's threshold twice already. He didn't think he could take seeing her strapped to a hospital bed with all those tubes and wires around her body again. Naruto knew Gaara thought along the same lines but the redhead was better at hiding his emotions than his older brother.

Someone running their way snapped Naruto out of his thoughts. He turned around, along with the rest of the group, and watched as the Shinobi sprinted over to them. He stopped in front of them and doubled over, panting out broken words. The group gave him a few seconds for him to recompose himself. When he straightened up, though still out of breath, he said, "They're here! Pein-sama, help is finally here!"

Naruto's heart began pumping blood faster. His adrenaline levels suddenly rose, making him shift in his place. He glanced at Gaara, whose face was schooled. However, the glint in his green eyes showed the excitement the blonde was feeling.

Pein narrowed his eyes, "Are you sure?"

The Shinobi nodded, his face showing his relief. "Yes, Pein-sama. Itachi-san and Zabuza-san are on their way." With one glance at the finished district, the Shinobi turned back to the Akatsuki group and added, "Everyone is fine and ready to get the rest of the construction underway."

"Good." Pein sent Gaara and Naruto a glance before turning back to the man in front of him. "Take Naruto and Gaara with you, and welcome them." Pein turned to the two Jinchuuriki. "Give them their assignments. Also, tell Itachi and Zabuza that I want them in my office right away." The two nodded and left with the Shinobi.

Sasori, who had long since discarded his puppet Hiroku to lend a helping hand, walked over to the orange headed leader. "Why did you send them?" Sasori asked his voice completely blank. It's not that he didn't care or that he thought little of them. Naruto just wasn't the kind of guy who would stand around, waiting patiently for people to show up. Maybe sending Haku would've been a better option.

Pein watched the kids disappear out of his sight and sighed. "They were both quite worried about their teammate and sensei. Sending them to greet them seemed like the best option. And I'm pretty sure that, despite his actions, Itachi would've liked to see how his two students were holding up." Pein turned back to the people celebrating before raising a hand. This got everyone's attention and the shouts of celebration were halted. "Now, I know this is a huge accomplishment. However, we're not out of the woods yet. Help from other nations have just arrived. I want everyone on their best behaviour and guide them through the tasks. Is this clear?" When he saw that most of the people had agreed, Pein let a rare smile disrupt his usual stoic face. "Good. Let's get this show on the road."

_Later That Night- Konohagakure Underground Cells..._

Soft footsteps were heard coming down the stairs. As usual, all the prisoners jumped to their feet and to the front of the cells. They held out their hands towards the visitor, hoping they'd somehow take pity on them and let them go. The visitor only ignored them until they reached the end of the hallway. The visitor stood in front of the cell holding a Genin captive for treason.

"Kota,"

At the mention of his name, the brunette raised his head from his knees. There were bags under his eyes and his hair was dishevelled. He was sitting on the hard bed in the cell with his arms around his pulled up legs and face in his knees. He had chakra-resistant shackles and chains around his feet and wrists. His usually light brown eyes were dull and he was unusually pale, probably due to not having seen the sun for a few months now. Kota frowned at his visitor then turned away in shame.

"What are you doing here, Sakura?"

Sakura's eyes softened at his hoarse voice. Jingling the keys of the cell in one hand, she reached up to undo the lock. Kota turned to her when he heard the click of the lock. He narrowed his eyes as she went in, locking the cell behind her. She walked over to him and sat down in front of him on the floor, her gaze never wavering. They sat in silence for a few moments. The only sound that was heard was the murmurs of the other prisoners talking in whispers. Kota buried his head in his knees again, unable to stand under Sakura's fierce gaze. She broke the silence with one simple word.

"Why?"

Sakura watched as Kota's shoulders tensed. He gripped the side of his thighs tightly and the sound of teeth grinding against each other could be heard in the silence that followed her question. Sakura pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, sitting the same way he was. She looked away with a frown. She didn't say anything after that. She'll give him the time to collect his thoughts and think about what he'll say. She wasn't going anywhere until she knew what was going on with him. There was no reason for her to shove him away like the rest of Konoha did. She wasn't leaving until she knew he was fine. Being in a cell, being a _prisoner_ at such a young age must've had its toll on him. Sakura won't leave him alone.

Kota grit his teeth when he figured she wouldn't go anywhere. Why was she here? She's just wasting her time with him. He was a low-life. He didn't deserve anything they gave him. Didn't she have somewhere else to be at? The Konoha Shinobi didn't even give him the time of day. Why would she? They were enemies. He was put in here for treason. She shouldn't trust him like this. He could jump her at any moment and injure her.

Kota took a deep breath and calmed down. He listened intently to see what she was up to but only heard her soft breathing. His shoulders relaxed slightly. She was trusting him. She trusted him enough to be confident in him not hurting her. It angered him but that anger turned to happiness. She trusted him. It made him happy. There was someone who cared enough to trust him, despite everything bad he had done. Not even his mother had come down to visit him. His brother Izumo came down once but only stayed five minutes then left, clearly disappointed in him. Sakura's been in here for over fifteen minutes now. She didn't say anything, other than that question, and he was glad for the comforting feeling her silent company brought him. It felt as if she wasn't judging him, and the change of attitude warmed Kota's heart.

Sakura glanced at him when she heard a sob. Her eyes softened when that single sob turned into hiccups and numerous sobs. She smiled and stood up.

Kota heard the movement and he flinched but kept on sobbing and crying. A hand landed on his shoulder, making him look up. He was greeted by a small smile. He hiccupped, some of his brown bangs falling over one of his eyes. Sakura noticed his hair had gotten longer and he now definitely looked like his older brother. She reached up and brushed those stray bangs out of his eye, that small smile still on her face. Despite the situation, Kota found himself blushing slightly, turning his head away some.

Sakura seemed used to the reaction as she ran her fingers through his hair. She sat down by him, withdrawing her hand. "Kota," He turned to her, the blush disappearing, "I'm not here to shove you away or rub our victory in your face. I'm here to make an offer." Sakura explained, leaning back against the wall. Kota nodded his understanding, wiping his tears away. "I want you to join Akatsuki."

Kota's eyes widened. He knew about Akatsuki. Orochimaru had been in the group a few years back but was kicked out because he wasn't into the same cause the rest of the group was supporting. Orochimaru and Akatsuki have been enemies since then. But then, if they were enemies, why would Sakura want him to join Akatsuki when he had been one of Orochimaru's spies?

Seeing the internal battle in his eyes and facial expression, Sakura decided to explain her reasoning. "You were one of Orochimaru's spies. You betrayed the village. You'll either be executed or, if the council is in a good mood, you'll spend the rest of your life in here." Kota lowered his gaze, his shame being heavily reflected in his eyes. Sakura continued, "The entire village knows of your treason. If by some chance you're let go and back into the ninja ranks, who will trust you? You were Orochimaru's spy, why would they help you if you were a key player in the Suna-Oto invasion? No one will want to be associated with a kid that had been easily manipulated by the enemy."

Kota frowned and looked away. He couldn't help it. Orochimaru had threatened with killing his family. What could he have done at such an age? Beat a Sannin when he was only just starting in the Academy? He'll admit, it was a mistake wandering that far into the woods that night. But he accepted Orochimaru's offer because he wanted to protect his family. Nothing else could've been done about it.

Sakura's hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked back at her and nodded at her to keep talking. Sakura let her eyes roam him before continuing. "I assume you know how Akatsuki works, right?" At his nod, she smiled. "I talked to the council. Under certain circumstances, you'll be allowed back into the ninja ranks." Kota's eyes lit up but Sakura shook her head to keep him from interrupting. "You'll be allowed into Ame's ninja ranks. I've seen your potential as a Kenjutsu master. With time, maybe you'll become an official Akatsuki member."

Kota stared at her. "What?"

Sakura looked up at the ceiling, "You'll be working for Akatsuki under probation. If we see that you're good enough, you'll be allowed into our actual ranks. It'll take years but we can work things out. Now, it's up to you whether you want to take it or not-"

"I'll take it!" Kota said, untangling himself and standing up. Sakura smiled at his enthusiasm and stood up as well.

"Good. I'll come by tomorrow so we can go to Ame." Sakura said and started to turn to leave but a hand grabbing her wrist stopped her. She looked back to see Kota gripping her hand, a serious look on his face. He slowly sat down, still holding her wrist captive. Sakura followed his movements, sitting down on the bed by him. "What's up?"

Kota frowned. "Orochimaru had this plan after invading Konoha. He was planning another coup d'état but on Amegakure. He wanted revenge on Akatsuki for beating and humiliating him."

Sakura pulled her hand away, her eyes narrowing on him. She turned away. _'I guess news doesn't travel through here. The attack on Ame was three months ago.'_ Sakura turned back to him. "I see. And does he plan on doing it alone or with help with other countries like he did with Oto and Suna?" Kota was the only source of information at the moment. How they didn't think of coming to him sooner, she didn't know. But if this was an opportunity of finding out who did this and why, she sure as hell wasn't going to let it pass.

"Yeah. Orochimaru had made treaties with some people but I'm not sure where they were from. I wasn't allowed to know much because I was only just starting as a spy."

Sakura flicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, making a clicking sound. "Do you know their names, at least?"

"One of them is Aoki Taichi and the other is Miyazaki Norio. There was also this other unknown guy. Rumour around has it that he wears a mask with one eye-hole."

The kunoichi frowned, searching in her memory bank if those names sounded familiar. Nothing came up and she glanced up at Kota. She stood up sharply, _'I need to inform Konan-nee-chan. Maybe she knows something about them.'_ Sakura turned to Kota and lowered her head. "The coup already happened, Kota. Ame was attacked three months ago. We had no idea who did it but Orochimaru was the top suspect on our list. Thanks for clearing that up for us." Kota stood up and frowned. "Anyway, I'll come and get you out of here tomorrow. I'll bring a new set of clothes. Hopefully, you haven't lost any of your fighting skills."

"Of course not!"

Sakura grinned. "Good, 'cause you have a lot of work to do."

_Uzu no Kuni- Next Week..._

Sakura looked up from the scroll in her hands as soon as she heard the tent open. Naruto came out with his hands behind his head. He sat down by her and shrugged. "I didn't detect any seals on his body. Inoichi said he didn't see any in his mind, either. Let's face it, Kota's clean." Naruto finished with another shrug. Sakura nodded then went back to the scroll.

Naruto's arms wrapping around her waist interrupted her reading. He kissed the crown of her head. "I'm still mad, y'know." Sakura sighed at his words.

Last week, when the first party of helpers from the allied nations came, only Suna and a number of Konoha ninja came. The official Konoha caravan had been withheld because of transportation problems and arrived yesterday. Naruto had been expecting Sakura to be in the first party because she was supposed to be with them at the time but she remembered about Kota and she had to help him in one way or another. She had then been assigned to the second part of the caravan along with Konan and other Konoha Shinobi. Naruto had been pissed but relieved that she was fine. Apparently, he still holds a grudge against her for that, though.

"Sorry, I'll make it up to you later." Sakura leaned up and pecked his lips before turning back to the scroll in her hands. Naruto smiled and pulled her closer, resting his chin on her shoulder. He studied the outline with her in complete silence, enjoying the time he was spending with her. Sakura leaned into him and smiled. It was moments like these that she always wanted to remember.

Someone cleared their throat. The two slowly turned their heads to the side. Kakashi was standing there with a bored look on his face – well, the visible part of his face. He jerked his head towards the centre of the construction site, where the main tents were at. Naruto let go of her and followed Kakashi with Sakura right beside him.

They entered the biggest tent. They saw that the entire Akatsuki group was there, as well. Shizune, Baki and Jiraiya were standing near Pein, looking sadly at them. Naruto looked around with his eyebrow raised. "What's up?" He asked and turned around when he heard the tent open. Gaara walked in with Kurenai, the redhead walking over to his squad to stand by them.

Pein sighed and stood up from his seat. He locked eyes with the three youngsters. "I'm afraid that Akuma no Buntai will be separated at this time."

It took less than a millisecond for that to click inside of their heads. "What!" Naruto and Sakura yelled out, Gaara deciding to stay quiet and glare at his leader.

Konan shushed them with a glare. Pein ignored their reactions and turned to the three standing by his side. "It's not permanent. I'm separating you three so you could work with other teachers under other circumstances. You'll be leaving Uzu no Kuni to train with them," Pein gestured to Jiraiya, Shizune and Baki, "for three years. They'll be your masters from there on. Any questions?"

"Yes! Why the hell do we have to go? I want to help rebuild Uzushio! I don't want to go travel the world while I could be helping rebuild my home!" Naruto shouted out furiously. He was glaring at Pein intensely.

Pein shook his head. "We'll be fine without your help. I need for you to get stronger. With the threat of Orochimaru rising, along with this new unknown group, we need to be prepared. They poisoned Sakura and attacked Ame for a reason, and we have to be careful from now on."

Naruto clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and crossed his arms in defeat. Pein sighed and gestured to the three again. "Naruto, you'll be going with Jiraiya (_'Tch, I knew it.'_ Naruto thought, rolling his eyes). Gaara, you'll be going with Baki and Shizune will be staying here to train Sakura. You two will be leaving in an hour. Say your goodbyes in the meantime. Good luck." Pein nodded at them. They nodded back and left the tent with their heads down.

The three looked each other at the same time then headed over to their make-shift home. Inside the main tent, Itachi turned to Jiraiya and Baki. He handed each of them a scroll with different designs on them. "I only have two requests. First, give this to them early in their training. Hopefully, their Bijuu will know what they are and help them with it. Second, look after them. Neither of them is mentally stable."

Baki frowned. "What do you mean?"

Itachi ignored his question and started walking out of the tent. He stopped just before the opening and looked back over his shoulder at the two. "If anything were to happen to either of them," His eyes hardened, changing into his Mangekyou Sharingan, "I'll kill you." The Uchiha turned his back, walking out of the tent.

_Uzushiogakure Entrance- One Hour Later….._

"Alright, kid, say your goodbyes. We're leaving. I need to keep my research up." Jiraiya giggled as he turned away from the scene and started walking away slowly while rubbing his hands together with a perverted grin on his face.

Naruto glared at his back and childishly stuck his tongue out at him before crossing his arms. Sakura's snicker made him smile and look over at his teammates. His smile fell and he looked down at the ground. "I guess this is goodbye." His voice sounded hurt and broke at the end of the sentence.

Naruto glanced up, only to see a hand in front of him. He raised his head, seeing Gaara holding his hand out to him. Gaara smiled slightly. "Try not to hurt yourself too much out there." The redhead joked lightly, and Naruto chuckled. The blonde grasped his hand, wrapping his fingers around the younger boy's wrist.

"I'm no stranger, Gaara, we don't do this. We do this." Naruto said as he suddenly pulled on Gaara's wrist, sending him tumbling forward. Naruto wrapped his arms around the momentarily stunned redhead and chuckled. "We're bros. We don't shake hands."

Gaara blinked several times then grinned and embraced the blonde back. "Of course, baka." Naruto grinned and let go of him, ruffling his hair lightly. Gaara glared at him and punched his shoulder. Naruto winced and punched is shoulder back. The two started glaring at each other intensely, an unspoken battle going on between them. This went on for a few seconds before smiles broke out on their faces and they first-pumped. "I'll miss you,"

Naruto smiled even more. "I'll miss you, too, Gaara."

Gaara nodded then stumbled when Sakura grabbed him by the front of his shirt to pull him close to her. "Be careful out there," Sakura whispered in his ear, tightening her arms around his neck. Gaara's gaze softened and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I will. Love you,"

Sakura pulled him closer, biting her lip to prevent from crying. This was the first time they were going to be apart for a long period of time. It was going to hurt not to see them. "I love you, too, Gaara." She pulled back a bit and leaned down to kiss his cheek before ruffling his hair.

Gaara huffed in frustration at having his hair touched but smiled when she winked at him. The redhead then started walking over to Baki, who was waiting for him. He stopped in his tracks, looked over his shoulder and smirked. "You two better be stronger when I come back."

Naruto grinned and pumped his fist in the air. "Are you kidding? I'm so kicking your ass when we come back!"

Sakura smirked then flipped him off. "Don't you dare underestimate us, Gaara. It'll be the end of you."

Gaara chuckled and turned back to Baki, raising his hand in a lazy wave as the two started to walk away. Naruto and Sakura smiled on after them until they were out of sight.

They turned to each other and chuckled. "He'll be fine." Naruto said, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. He brought their foreheads together as she placed her hands on his forearms. Sakura nodded in understanding, locking eyes with him.

"I know,"

Naruto swooped down to place his lips and hers swiftly. "I love you." He muttered against her lips before pulling away.

Sakura tugged at the hair on the back of his neck and smiled before resting her forehead on his shoulder. "I love you, too, Naruto."

The blonde looked about ready to say something else but Jiraiya interrupted him. "Come on, Gaki, we'll miss the boat!" Jiraiya shouted over his shoulder. Naruto sighed in frustration before looking back at his girlfriend.

"I'll miss you. Be careful. I don't want a repeat of…last time." Naruto said, and Sakura noticed his voice broke at the end. Her gaze softened and she pulled him in for an embrace.

"I'll be careful, I promise." Sakura whispered in his ear as his arms wrapped around her waist again. He pulled her close, kissed the side of her head then pulled away from the embrace. Naruto smiled at her then turned around to follow Jiraiya. He stopped after a few steps before turning around and running back to her. The blonde leaned down and pecked her lips quickly.

"Look after the village for me," Sakura nodded at his request before leaning up to press their lips together, more firmly this time.

"Gaki!"

Naruto groaned into the kiss. He pressed harder against her before pulling away and running over to where Jiraiya had stopped to wait on him. Sakura snickered when the two started bickering. She turned around and started heading to the centre of the village to help out any of those who needed help in the construction.

Unknowingly, the three Chunin had the same thought running around in their heads.

_'We'll be back together. No one will tear us apart.'_

_(A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'M SORRY! The ending is shitty, I know. I suck at making endings/goodbyes. I actually had to erase this whole chapter and write it again because I didn't like how it came out. I'm sorry if it's so rushed and crappy, and for taking so long._

_Anyway, onto important news. Yes! This is the last chapter of this part of the Akuma no Buntai series. I'm still debating whether it'll have the same title (Akuma no Buntai: Blah, blah, blah, blah) or if it'll have another name. I guess we'll find out when I have the first chapter up. Another thing is that it'll probably take a while (and I do mean a LONG while) to put the story up. But be expecting the first chapter to be about Gaara and solely Gaara. Yes, you must read it. It's important for the plot._

_Anyway, I apologize for the wait. I didn't think it'd take me this long to update. Sorry._

_Bye! Until the next Instalment!_

_7th Creature)_


	12. AN: Signing Off

Hey, guys. Long time no read, huh? What's it been? A year, maybe two or three? I don't know, I honestly lost track of time. And I know some of you were expecting a new chapter or probably a big comeback, so I'm really sorry to say that neither of those is forthcoming. I know I promised you guys and girls that I'll finish my stories but the more time passes, the more the urge to continue these stories disappears.

I've honestly lost interest in the _Naruto_ universe. Seriously, the only reason why I know it's over it because my sister's friend is obsessed and she was ranting all about it to her, and sis told me about it. An uninterested "Cool," was my reaction to it.

God, I remember when I would impatiently wait for the next subbed episode five years ago and not being able to wait too long so I resorted to finally reading the Manga. That kind of enthusiasm for the show and Manga disappeared entirely, and so I feel that, if I try to force or rush and reconstruct ideas just to get an update out and get the stories over with, I won't be doing you guys justice or giving you the quality you deserve. I'm afraid that my lack of enthusiasm over this fandom will ruin your reading experience, and this is a lovely thing to experience.

I unfortunately will be deleting all _Naruto_ stories. Deletion of all _Naruto _stories is set for _**January 28, 2015**_.

My writing experience isn't over, and if you'd like to see more of my writing (or just talk to me), I will be in other fandoms. Username will stay the same.

And so, with of this, I am officially signing off the _Naruto_ fandom. I formally apologize to those of you who were eagerly awaiting a new update from me. You guys have all taught me many things over the past years six years I've been an active member in FF and am forever grateful for your support and encouragement. I've grown with these stories (and many more that were unfortunately deleted over time) and it's a time I will treasure for a long time to come. So, thank you and I'm very sorry (again) for this.

It's been an amazing journey for me, and hopefully you share the sentiment.

See you around,

_7th Creature_


	13. AN 2

Well, okay, you guys convinced me. I'll keep the stories up on my page, I'll just label them as discontinued. You guys love them, and I wouldn't want to take something you guys love down. So, they'll remain up for those of you who'd like to re-read them whenever you want.

As for someone else adopting them, I'm not so sure. But if you're interested in doing so, just send me a PM and we'll talk about it.

Again, thank you for all your love, support and understanding.

See you around,

7th Creature


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